An IM Patent for the iPhone?

Ian Lamont writes "Apple has filed a patent for IM on portable devices, which could mean that it's getting ready to launch an IM client for the iPhone. The filing is titled 'Portable Electronic Device for Instant Messaging', and covers methods for sending, receiving, and viewing ongoing conversations. The proposed GUI is similar to Apple's current interface for SMS. As for why iChat wasn't enabled for the iPhone earlier, there's some interesting background and analysis here, which also includes a discussion of AIM for the iPhone. IM also came up in the discussions last year about the most-wanted features in iPhone 2.0."

You know it's Apple

[bit trollent]

You can tell that Apple is still the same company they have always been when they are patenting functionality that is already on most modern cell phones and is noticably absent from the iPhone.

So not only is Apple late bringing this feature to market, but they are trying to patent something which has prior art in products which are already competing against their own.

Bravo Steve Jobs!

*slow hand clap*

Re:ASK SLASHDOT

[rkanodia]

So do ridiculous usage plans with unlimited data transfer... except for text messages. Don't get me wrong, I love my iPhone, but some of this bullshit is, well, bullshit.

Re:ASK SLASHDOT

[netsavior]

IM is the #1 most used data feature on my phone...

My wife and I are in communication all the time, and it is seamless no matter if one or the other of us is at home, work, at the beach, at the mall, whatever. Same protocol, different device means when she is sipping her coffee at the desk checking email, and I am filling my car with gas 20 miles away, she doesn't have to scramble for her cellphone to ask me to go in and buy a pack of gum for her. It is annoying that more manufacturers don't place a lot of value in pervasive IM, because it is basically how we run our household... because of that we have to choose out phones accordingly.

Re:Anyone see this one...

[Tom]

This seems to be the type of patent a patent troll would try to get through.

Which, given the constant abuse of the patent system by said trolls, getting the patent yourself is the only way to be sure you aren't going to end up on the wrong side of a lawsuit.

How?

[kellyb9]

Back in the day, you used to have to do something innovative to get a patent...