This is why Apple denied Google Latitude from the App Store...

Seth Weintraub
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December 31, 2009
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Another Apple patent today looks remarkably similar to the functionality of Google Latitude which Apple relegated to WebApp status earlier this year.  Obviously if Apple is working on their own version of Google Latitude (or owns the IP rights to this functionality), they'd be hesitant to put an app with the same functionality on their devices from another company.  Now it all makes sense!

In Apple's implementation, it looks like the location data can be carried in an SMS or Instant Message (interesting news in its own right), which can then be opened in the Maps application to show the other person's location relative to the iPhone user's.

Also, note what appears to be another instance of a front-facing camera on the iPhone image below.  We're calling it now: iPhone 4G (and tablet + maybe iPod touch) get front faing cameras.  Who is with us?


From Patently Apple:

 

Two other patents published today are directly related to Apple's iPhone Maps + Compass capabilities as follows:

  

Location Sharing: Abstract - Geographic location data is sent from a first device to a second device with a modified message to signal the presence of geographic location data associated with the message. The message can include (or attach) the geographic location data or file, or the message can include a link to a network-based resource which the second device can use to obtain the geographic location data. In some implementations, when a user of the first device views a location on a map display of the first device, a graphical user interface is presented to allow the user to select an option to share the geographic location with the second device. The second device receives geographic location data or a link from the first device which can trigger a map display on the second device showing the location of the first device and, optionally, the location of the second device. For more information on patent application 20090325603, view this temporary link.

  

Position Fix Indicator: Abstract - In some implementations, a method includes: obtaining a first position measure at a mobile device indicating a geographic area where the mobile device is located, presenting a first graphical indicator on a user interface representing the geographic area; obtaining a second position measure at the mobile device, indicating a location associated with the mobile device, and within the geographic area; and presenting a second graphical indicator on the user interface representing the location within the geographic area. For more information on patent 20090326815, view this temporary link.

Comments (35)

AdapterDesign (not verified) | December 31, 2009 - 7:58am

I don't think that's a front facing camera. I think the dotted lines indicate that it's something internal. Check out the volume button dotted lines as opposed to the home button and speaker which are represented by solid lines.

admin | December 31, 2009 - 8:05am

take a look at the link provided.  The same dotted line is referred to as a camera in a previous patent.

AdapterDesign (not verified) | December 31, 2009 - 9:42am

Ah ha! My mistake.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | December 31, 2009 - 9:57am

Thats why its a dotted line, its referring to the camera on the backside of the iphone.

Vic Berggren (not verified) | December 31, 2009 - 8:40am

If it is a front facing camera we'll have ourselves a mirror app :)

Kappa (not verified) | December 31, 2009 - 9:10am

You mean, of course, one thousand mirror apps :)

Andre Valencia (not verified) | January 03, 2010 - 2:09pm

Obviously it would be for video confrencing

shekar55 | July 28, 2010 - 8:54pm

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konferenceblog

Olternaut (not verified) | December 31, 2009 - 8:34am

Whatever cool, outstanding features the tablet is going to get you can bet your bottom dollar that the 4th gen iPhone will mirror those features as well. 


And I think that will include a forward facing camera.  Although, I think video conferencing won't be big until it runs on a LTE or WiMax network.  Hello, can you hear me now??  *hint*  :)

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 02, 2010 - 9:58am

Yeah, they're so good at copying everything in the iPhone that Apple is being charged with 7 Patent Violations from Nokia.  Good fight theives.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 03, 2010 - 10:41pm

thieves*

MadDog (not verified) | December 31, 2009 - 9:31am

Don't forget Apple's patent for a screen with embedded camera elements (http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn9059)

This was back in 2006. Apple don't like to do the same as everyone else if they can avoid it. This would be a huge change for video calls and I think Apple would want it to help create the splash for a new product.

altrenda (not verified) | December 31, 2009 - 9:51am

"Obviously if Apple is working on their own version of Google Latitude (or owns the IP rights to this functionality), they'd be hesitant to put an app with the same functionality on their devices from another company."

 

you mean to say "Apple is copying features from Google, and will put them on the iPhone sometime in the future, Obviously they are hesitant to give their users a choice so as not to confuse poor iPhone users and lock them in to an Apple only solution"

forgot (not verified) | December 31, 2009 - 11:04am

Maybe I'm misunderstanding the difference, but can't you already share your present location in Google Maps via MMS? I understand sharing via SMS or IM is different, but noteworthy?

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 01, 2010 - 5:10pm

i'm thinking there is still a SIM card outlet on the iPhone 4G, if you can tell my a sgwiggly line on figure 8.

 

And if there were to be a front facing camera, why isn't there one on figure 7?

mhmm, exactly. No front-facing camera yet. 

Clamm (not verified) | January 02, 2010 - 1:59am

That's just unbelievable... Apple rejects Google Latitude just because they are devloping an application which does something similiar... Didnt they say they would just reject applications that replace EXISTING features... I beg for the day some lawyers klick Apples butt... and i hope they do it fast....

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 02, 2010 - 1:09pm

Look up XPS positioning from Skyhook Wireless - http://www.skyhookwireless.com/howitworks/

XPS hybrid positioning is what the patent mostly describes.

Skyhooks main incarnation appears to be on the Apple iPhone, it also appears surreptitiously on Snow Leopard under the 'premise' of setting your TimeZone automatically using wifi location - every other platform catered for is more a half arsed bolt on option - look we do other platforms.

 

No different to Google outsourcing the Streetview effort - thus distancing themselves form any legal implications - and you cant tell me they wouldn't collect wifi data along the way.

Read this article - http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/feature/1563440/skyhook-web-map

should be very enlightening.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 02, 2010 - 1:30pm

ESRI (at www.ESRI.COM)has been doing this for years.  They demoed this years ago at their annual users conference in San Diego, where an foward observer post using a hand held wireless device GPS enabled (PDA) indicated that a bridge in view was blown up.  The PDA transfered its position back to a command post where by a convey who was going to use the bridge was re-routed.  This concept that Apple has a patent on has been used for years by military.  So what is so new about it?

Just who was the patent examiner on this who has had their head burried in the sand?

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 02, 2010 - 6:42pm

The front facing camera has been seen in Apple patents for the last year or so.


Unfortunately, in a world where AT&T were [temporarily] blocking NYC sales because their network can't handle 3G iPhone users and where Skype is allegedly now free to do non WIFI VoIP but strangely hasn't turned up with an approved update, the odds of our seeing video conferincing any time soon are somewhere below that of Steve Jobs varying his wardrobe.


We may get the 1,000 AppStore mirror apps and the ability for Apple to turn on video conferencing in a later OS update - but AT&T will OK it even slower than they did the half decade late MMS.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 02, 2010 - 9:27pm

You guys dont seem to understand.. if apple doesnt want google latitute on their devices, they dont have to add them.  apple doesnt owe google anything.. if anything, google should hook up to the itunes store.  even the gen 1 iphones ran gmaps. apple didnt have to do this. the nexus 1 gmaps probably run twice as fast as the apple version: reason, google made is so.  its a two way street. if the nexus 1 wants to allow voip free calls... well, i feel sorry for the carrier.. im curious which network picks and drops this first.

anon (not verified) | January 02, 2010 - 9:51pm

With a front facing camera and the knocking video app,the iphone would essentially be a video phone

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 02, 2010 - 10:38pm

Catchif is doing the same thing. It can transfer the location data in real time via push notification

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 03, 2010 - 3:30pm

yes, i tried catchif. looks like an 'revolutionary' one. real time..

Iphone expert (not verified) | January 03, 2010 - 6:31am

i didnt read through all the posts here but what looks like a front facing camera is most likely the Proximity sensor for the iphone to tell wether it is against your head or not.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 03, 2010 - 9:11am

LOL request denied!

RT
www.invisibility-tools.pl.tc

John (not verified) | January 03, 2010 - 9:26am

Does anyone have an idea when the next iPhone will be released? I saw something that indicated this January but that seems kind of soon to me.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 03, 2010 - 11:28am

"Obviously if Apple is working on their own version of Google Latitude (or owns the IP rights to this functionality), they'd be hesitant to put an app with the same functionality on their devices from another company."


Imagine if Microsoft did something like this and said it was working on its own verision of a app, so it wouldn't let others write the app for it's OS, I bet some people would be upset. It's amazing that Apple get away with this stuff.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 03, 2010 - 1:58pm

Why dont you cry to RIM about allowing Blackberry apps, or what about all of Verizon's phones being locked down with their branded GUI (pre Droid).  This isn't Windows vs. iPhone OS.  Compare Apple's to apples.

TheMack (not verified) | January 04, 2010 - 6:15am

Microsoft did do something like this, with IE. Worked pretty well for them for a while. Eventually it bit them because they had a big target painted on thier forehead, and Apple is quickly approaching that status. Don't forget that Google has done a LOT of this sort of positioning to bully its possible competition out. If there was ever a fair fight, it would be between Google and Apple - it should be interesting.

Graham (not verified) | January 03, 2010 - 2:00pm

Actually, with 7A and 8 beside each other, all the functionality at the top of 7A is gone, but is present in 8. It almost seems like 8 is a different screen, and therefore the whole iPhone's front face is a display.