Apple Ipad tablet
IN PHOTO: An illustration picture shows application icons on an Apple Ipad tablet held by a woman in Bordeaux, Southwestern France, February 4, 2013. Reuters

The technological innovations in iPhones will see astounding heights, if the latest invention patented by Apple gets into its smartphones. According to a report in the Wire, the iPhones of future will carry apps that can track behavior patterns of the users.

The iPhone will learn a user's behavioral patterns such as gestures, locations, sound, grammar and vocabulary and even his gait. Through an accelerometer it will trigger alerts if any of these patterns change. The patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Apple outlines a method on this for iPhone and future mobile devices.

Apple Patent

In the new patent Apple has listed the possible data points that sensors might be determining. They can include movement, ambient light, rotation, ambient temperature, magnetic fields, acceleration and proximity. Besides sensor data the user device will also track interactions with external devices.

Issue of Data Privacy

In the case of noticeable behavioral differences the server could lock the device until the user enters a password or send notification to another device. The technology would cut the PIN code way to unlock phones, but raises the issue of data privacy.

Even former devices carry features like location tracking Apple servers would carry their data.

Personal Item

A mobile device has become a personal item and is a constant companion of users than any other gadget or technology. According to Apple, the invention would be a safety measure to prevent device and data theft and limit the risk of people making a chase to retrieve their phones.

Safety Layer

According to a report in Tech Radar, by James Rogerson the innovation can also give an extra layer of security to the iPhone with a facility to lock itself or send a warning to another device if some unusual behavior is indicated.

Showing the Direction

Though patents do not mean implementation it is a road map on where Apple is heading. It seems to be looking at this behavior-based technology as a safety feature. It hopes benefits as derived from the iCloud-based activation lock in the iOS 7 which led to curbing of thefts iPhones in many cities. However Apple has not added behavioral-learning feature in the latest iOS 8 beta builds.