As signs point to one patent war cooling down, another is rapidly heating up. Apple along with Google and several other tech companies involved in the mobile industry have been busy acquiring patents geared toward another indispensable consumer technology: the automobile.
A report from EnvisionIP has identified 35 car-related patents in the application process or currently held by Apple. That’s nothing to sneeze at for a company that has never really been involved with cars previously, but it pales in comparison to Google. They have the leg up with 310 auto-related patents.
Google’s body of patents largely stems from their work on autonomous, self-driving vehicles. Apple’s growing collection could be associated with the upcoming launch of iOS in the Car, which has less to do with changing the car as we know it and everything to do with implementing better integration between mobile device motor vehicle.
Other manufacturers, including Samsung, Nokia, and even BlackBerry, are turning to the car as smartphone market penetration begins to level off. Will we ever see an Apple iCar? Probably not anytime soon, but look for greater integration with existing devices as well as all new commuter-focused technologies to emerge in the coming months and years.
[via Forbes]
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TAGS: patent wars, Patents
