iPhone Users to have Speech to Text Capabilities According to New Patent
Apple recently filed for a patent that will bring speech to text technology to its iPhone and iPod product lines. According to the Baltimore Sun the document included not only a diagram of how the system works, but an explanation of the system as it would be used to compose an email. The documentation suggests that the speech recognition technology being filed for would recognize not only words and letters, but punctuation as well.
The limitations of previous voice recognition technologies are set to be pushed with this latest advance from Apple’s engineering team. In fact, the actualization of the technology as conceived now would be a huge win for the maker of the popular iPhone and quite likely shift a huge amount of profit their way if they are able to develop the technology before other competitors. The technology is seen as something of a coveted landmark because it would have a massive effect on both data entry and the retrieval of information at far quicker speeds than users currently experience through pressing buttons.
The patent includes mentions of allowing users to be able to save voice recordings for later processing into text and the ability to time stamp and date the recordings. This could lead to total voice control for iPod and iPhone, some experts suggest.
China Unicom Help Apple Bring iPhone to China
In a surprising move that fulfills a long held promise from Apple, the iPhone will be going on sale in China through a company called China Unicom thanks to a deal struck recently. During the news conference to announce the deal, Unicom did not state which model of the iPhone will be available in the market, the largest in all of Asia.
According to reports from The Wall Street Journal, the phones are expected to go on sale in the fourth quarter of this year which fulfills a promise Apple had made long ago by promising that they would make the iPhone available to the Chinese market by the end of 2009. It was not clear previously how they would do this, but with the possible help of a governmental subsidy, Unicom will indeed bring the world famous technology to the people of China.
Fortunately for Apple, China is a huge untapped market for makers of digital communications devices and has over 700 million wireless subscribers already. That market alone could massively move Apples profits forward to a level as yet unseen.
The iPhones shipped to China will not be Wi-Fi enabled due to government communications regulations in that rapidly growing nation.
Extended Hours at Apple Stores and New Ticket System to Make iPhone Acquisition Easier
Apple’s iPhone 3G is in great demand and people have to wait in long lines at apple stores to obtain their iPhone 3g’s.Apple has implemented a few changes recently to ease the iPhone acquisition process for customers. Apple Stores now open on every day except for Sunday at 8 a.m. local time. Moreover, while you’re waiting in the line, store staff will pre-qualify you for an iPhone purchase. You will receive a claim ticket that guarantees the iPhone model you want. Then you can either wait in line and redeem the ticket when it’s your turn or return later in the day before 6 p.m. (4 p.m. on Sundays) and redeem your ticket for an iPhone then.