Could this be iMovies?
After I ran across this article over at Think Secret, about recent Apple patent applications one in particular caught me eye. Specifically patent #20050021478, which has a general description of “a method and system for network-based purchase and distribution of media”, interesting, could this be part of the much speculated Apple ‘on-line movie store’. Navigating over to the patent office’s website and viewing the full text makes for an even more interesting albeit long read. Here are a few other snippets of text that if one wanted, could be construed as some of the framework for an ‘iMovie’ service or even iFlix re-born under Apple’s management.
“Method and system for network-based purchase and distribution of media.”
“Furthermore, the graphical user interface discussed above with respect to FIGS. 10-12B was primarily discussed in terms of musical songs. However, as previously noted, the graphical user interface is generally applicable to browsing media items. For example, the media items can be video (e.g., DVDs).”
“The media items can pertain to audio items (e.g., audio files or songs, such as for music or audiobooks), video items (e.g., video files or movies), or image items (e.g., photos).”
“In recent years music delivery or distribution over the Internet has become popular. Due to the advances in efficient file formats, such as MP3 and MPEG4, the size of media files have become small enough to make their download via the Internet practical. Also, technological advances have led to higher-speed Internet connections and lower cost of memory. The combination of these advances make downloading media files, such as for music and videos, manageable and not too time consuming”
Now of course these could be nothing more than upgrades to iTunes, but hey given the purposely vague wording of some patent applications (to fend off potential copiers) you never know.
B.Greenway
February 10th, 2005 at 4:43 pm
Sounds great - bring it on!