Report: Apple patents unveil major potential FaceTime features

Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) FaceTime has some major advances in the work, according to Patently Apple, which reported the U.S. Patent Office has published an array of patents that could have a huge impact on the way the software is used in videoconferencing.

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The report said seven patents, which address features like camera focus, PIP controls and superimposing, are outlined, suggesting Apple is gearing up to offer stronger competition to Skype; especially since that software likely will soon be integrated more deeply into Windows now that Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) has cleared major regulatory hurdles to its acquisition of the VoIP company.

According to Patently Apple, Apple has technology in the works for an iPhone with a dual camera that would allow users to capture images--like slides or other presentation materials--during a FaceTime session and send them.

It could also send captured video, say of an unfolding event, during a real-time communications session, switching back and forth between the video conference and the video. The switching could be initiated by either the local or the remote device.

Other potential enhancements include: the ability to move picture-in-picture dispays, resize them or swap the main and PIP displays; PIP size control by pinch and zoom, new controls to mute, switch camers and end conference buttons; and the ability to control cameras remotely.

For more:
- see this Patently Apple article

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