In rather disturbing news, Apple is believed to have filed for a patent for new technology which will give it the ability to automatically disable a smartphone if a live concert or sporting event is filmed by a punter in the audience.

The technology would be installed in an iPhone which would see it attract the attention of infra-red sensors which would be installed at venues such as stadiums or arenas. If the sensor detects filming activity, it will instruct the iPhone to disable its camera, although it is believed that the phone’s ability to call or send text messages would not be affected.

A report in London’s Times believes that the development of the technology is part of an attempt to protect the exclusivity rights of event organisers and television broadcasters who are filming events for commercial profit. It is also believed that the installation of the software will be likely to assist Apple in negotiating better terms with record labels for selling content though iTunes and the implementation of their new iCloud.

While this smacks of the ever pervasive influence of Apple in our lives and becoming the Big Brother we were warned about in 1984, it has an upside. We’ll have less shitty footage of gigs with crowd noises and people singing along out of key being uploaded to Youtube.

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