If the patent drawing above is anything to go by, Apple is working on a new social experience for the iPhone that will allow irradiated, cycloptic mutants to find out what they have in common with one another even in the post-apocalyptic wasteland.
Based on the actual wording of the patent, though, it should work for everyone, allowing you to use your iPhone to find the most interesting person in the room, every time.
Noting that “when two strangers meet, it may take a long and awkward conversation to discover their common interests,” Apple proposes that future iPhones could automatically reach out to each other, compare apps, web sites and downloads, and then suggest topics of conversation.
Sounds a little grotesque to me, but what I like better is the proposed homing functionality: if you loaded up the app in a crowd, it could direct you to the person in the room with the most similar interests to you. The perfect party ice breaker.
It’s hard not to see how this could be a real boon for the socially awkward and socialite alike. Would you use this if it came with iOS 6?
