Talk is swirling around a 2008 Apple patent that could point to an ad-supported version of Mac OS X. The patent, credited to Apple CEO Steve Jobs, would permit embedding “one or more” ads in an operating system in exchange for goods or services.
“The presentation of the advertisement(s) can be made as part of an approach where the user obtains a good or service, such as an operating system, for free or at reduced cost,” Apple explained in the application.
To keep users from ignoring the ads, the OS would disable “one or more function while the advertisement is being presented,” according to the patent filing. Once the pitch is over, the disabled function is returned to working order.
Forcing consumers to watch ads in exchange for goods or services isn’t something new. In the late 1990s, companies offered free computers that contained a hard drive stuffed with ads. Google in 2006 envisioned handing out free cell phones paid by ads. The latest to investigate trading goods for ads is Microsoft. The software giant is reportedly considering offering an ad-supported version of Office to combat the existing base of pirated versions.
Of course, not all patent applications are mere pipe dreams or preemptive moves. Apple’s recently-released Magic Mouse was first detected using a patent filing.
