Let the Apple Automobile rumors roll on. Apple has been granted a patent (quantity US 11874128 B2) for “Mapping Utility With Flip-by-turn Navigation Mode For Output To Car Show.”
Concerning the patent
Amongst different issues, the patent is designed as a security characteristic to forestall divers and passengers from taking a look at their smartphone whereas in transit. Within the patent, Apple notes that transportable media units, akin to smartphones, have the potential to run superior mapping and navigation purposes (akin to its personal Maps app). A few of these mapping and navigation purposes embody turn-by-turn navigation options, which might be useful whereas driving.
Nonetheless, interacting with the mapping and navigation software whereas driving could also be tough — and harmful — because of the small dimension of many cellular units, and due to this fact the small dimension of the assorted controls on the cellular units. As well as, many automobiles embody in-car navigation programs.
These in-car navigation programs function independently of any of the driving force’s different units, and supply a bigger and conveniently positioned display screen. Nonetheless, Apple says these in-car navigations programs typically present a extra restricted expertise than the extra strong mapping purposes of the cellular system because of the inherent limitations of the automobile.
Apple’s thought is for a Maps app that generates a number of consumer interfaces for show on a number of units on the identical time. The app is an built-in mapping and navigation app that runs on an iPhone and generates each a consumer interface for the smartphone’s show and a consumer interface for show on a display screen of a automobile to which the cellular system connects. That display screen may very well be a windshield.
Abstract of the patent
Right here’s Apple’s summary of the patent: “Some embodiments present a way for an software executing on a cellular system. The strategy renders an animated navigation presentation for output to an exterior show display screen not a part of the cellular system. The navigation presentation consists of an animated map exhibiting at the least a portion of a path to a vacation spot. The strategy concurrently shows info relating to a maneuver alongside the route on a show display screen of the cellular system with out displaying a identical animated map on the cellular system. In some embodiments, the displayed info relating to the maneuver contains a graphical instruction and a textual content instruction for a subsequent maneuver alongside the route.”
When may we see an Apple Automobile?
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has stated that Apple’s work on the Apple Automobile has “misplaced all visibility on the present time. He has famous that if Apple doesn’t undertake some form of acquisition technique to make inroads within the automotive market, it’s unlikely that the Apple Automobile will be capable of go into mass manufacturing “inside the subsequent few years.”
On. Nov. 18, 2021, Bloomberg reported that Apple was accelerating improvement on its “Apple Automobile.” The article stated that the electrical automobile can be self-driving and will roll out in 2025. Nonetheless, this doesn’t appear to be a possible situation.
