Apple patents a touch ID TV remote – but will this mean extra security, or just another headache? Okay, we’re not saying this is going to end your fights over the remote control with your significant others, in actual fact, it might make them worse… for the TV that is.
So, what is a touch ID TV remote? Well, just what it sounds like. A remote control that allows you to scan your finger in order to get some interesting perks from the device in front of you.
Apple filed an application for this patent on Thursday and it’s really looking good. But what’s with Apple and TV? Yes, I know they made that device called Apple TV and proposed an online service with the same name. Yet I don’t think making actual TV sets would be a target for the company. Although, in the patent itself, Apple does not explicitly mention that the touch ID remote would be exclusive for television.
Although illustrations accompanying the file show a pretty old-style TV set, I’m sure Apple is not really thinking that you will customize your grandma’s.
Apple says that one of the best examples of how one would use this is when a husband and wife have different settings for the television. These could be any settings, from the number of channels to an exact order of those channels. Or, let’s say the husband doesn’t want all those beauty channels to jump through all the time. He can remove them. Then again the wife may want to see only those stations. All she has to do is scan her finger, and everything is back to her desired presets.
Plus, you can even customize volume levels, background picture – just about anything you could set your mind to. And you can even make sure that the channels your kids are watching are safe for them. Provided that no matter what you do, they will still find a way around it, at least you tried.
And Apple wants to make sure you try harder. Come on, what’s your kid going to do? Get a picture of your eye and point it at the retina scanner? Wait, that’s actually a good idea. And yes, the remote also mentions retina scanning as an alternative to fingerprints.
Also, the patent mentions other devices such as PCs, or household devices.
The general opinion is that Apple will want to connect this device with a streaming service they plan to release. For this, they have been in talks with all major TV channels.
Image source: businessinsider.com
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