Apple's NFC patent could turn your iPhone into the ultimate all-in-one controller

Hot on the heels of Apple's iGlasses patent comes another glimpse into the Cupertino tech giant's crystal ball – an NFC-infused iPhone which can connect to a multitude of devices and become a powerful controller.

The patent – which is excitingly titled as 'System and Method for Simplified Control of Electronic Devices' – involves an NFC chip embedded within a future iPhone which will enable it to control any RFID enabled device with a simple tap.

Imagine tapping your iPhone against a camera and turning it into a remote shutter, or controlling your automated home from the comfort of your sofa. Sounds nice doesn't it?

The proposed system will also handily work in reverse. Tap the iPhone against a compatible games controller for example, and you can then use it to play iOS games with actual buttons and Joysticks – a godsend for those of you who think that Apple needs to up its game in the controller department.

An iPhone as a controller for the Apple iTV (which is likely to be US-only at launch) is also a likely use of the NFC technology – and we certainly wouldn't be complaining if these features made their way into the iPhone 5.

[FreePatentsOnline via MCV]

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