Future iPhone and iPad versions could come with 'situational awareness' functions, allowing the device to predict owners' desired real-time conditions, a new report said.

The tech giant filed a patent application on September 2011, according to Apple Insider, named as "electronic device with automatic mode switching."

Once fully-realised, this new device capability will see the release of iPhones and iPad that will interpret inputs such as external noises, temperatures, lighting conditions and time of day as commands.

The gadgets are then programmed to execute functions that directly suit owners' preferences.

It is now possible that future iPhones will turn up or mute the device's volume rocker depending on the environment where user is located. Or the smartphone will automatically sleep as its owner retires for the night, getting reanimated only when it detects movements.

"The electronic device is ready to perform the anticipated function without input from the user by using sensors to sense environmental attributes," CNET quoted the Apple patent filing as saying.

Included in the sensor component are "an ambient light sensor, a force sensor, a temperature sensor, an ambient noise sensor and a motion sensor."

If Apple ended up embedding the new innovation with its device lineup "the portable electronic device is therefore ready to perform a user function when the user desires to perform the function."

What will be added is chip that displays some amount of artificial intelligence because users are not required "to perform additional steps such as selecting menu options in a GUI or activating a button or switch," Apple said on its filing.

It is unclear if this new technology will be deployed with the planned iPhone and iPad refreshes this year, the reports said.

With the smart tool in place, new implementations such as "playing songs based on how a user takes the device out of their pants, switching between ring and vibrate modes based on ambient light and adjusting volume based on ambient noise," will be experienced with the new Apple gadgets, Apple Insider said.