According to the foreign media reports, Apple is planning to add an augmented reality maps search function in the camera application, and will apply to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for it. For Apple fans, here is a useful tip: download youtube videos to ipad.
In the patent document (PDF) which named “augmented reality maps”, Apple revealed the iPhone’s camera lens and built-in sensors are used to find out the information of nearby places, combined with the search function, somewhat similar to the map program we currently use.
For example, when the user is located in downtown of San Francisco and begin to search for “park” as the keyword, then the map will show the landmarks of adjacent “A Park” and “B Park”, and it will mark the distance from the location of the user and the park’s location.
Apple think that the application which provide the indicated direction is very important for users, especially when the users are located in the city they are not familiar with, this feature can enable them to identify the direction easily.
In some situations, the map indicates a user go from one street to the north, but sometimes users can not find the right direction because of the unclear or damaged street signs. Now it seems that this patent is likely to become the camera application provided by the Apple official, that is, this program will be built in the subsequently shipped iOS device, perhaps in the future it may replace the existing mapping programs.
The current built-in map application of the IOS devices is provided by Google, the program can also see Google’s well-known street map. But Apple’s concept is to provide real-time street map based on camera.
This “reality enhance direction search” function which is developed by Apple may also be used in other third-party software, such as Layar’s “reality browser” and Yelp application’s monocle mode. Apple is currently providing this augmented reality maps function in Lion’s Photobooth application.
Other Apple news: when will ipad 3 release
Leave a Reply