When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works

Home / News / Apple wins advert-skipping patent

Apple wins advert-skipping patent

Future iOS devices to switch to user’s own content when they detect unwanted ads?

Apple has been awarded an interesting patent in the US – one which could allow future devices to essentially skip in-app audio or video adverts by automatically detecting them and playing your own music, video or podcast content instead.

The patent describes a mobile device able to automatically switch between broadcast content (i.e. a web radio station) and stored media. The automatic switching won’t be limited to ads, but they are one of the things mentioned.

We can’t see broadcasters who rely on ad revenue being particularly enamoured with such a system, should it ever appear – but it could prove a huge hit with the customer. Something to look out for in future Apple gadgets, perhaps…

[via Apple Insider]

You may also like

Icon – BMW Zagato Roadster

Worms Collection worming its way onto Xbox 360 and PS3

Stuff Office Cat’s Diary – 21/08/12

Profile image of Dan Grabham Dan Grabham Editor-in-Chief

About

Dan is Editor-in-chief of Stuff, working across the magazine and the Stuff.tv website.  Our Editor-in-Chief is a regular at tech shows such as CES in Las Vegas, IFA in Berlin and Mobile World Congress in Barcelona as well as at other launches and events. He has been a CES Innovation Awards judge. Dan is completely platform agnostic and very at home using and writing about Windows, macOS, Android and iOS/iPadOS plus lots and lots of gadgets including audio and smart home gear, laptops and smartphones. He's also been interviewed and quoted in a wide variety of places including The Sun, BBC World Service, BBC News Online, BBC Radio 5Live, BBC Radio 4, Sky News Radio and BBC Local Radio.

Areas of expertise

Computing, mobile, audio, smart home