Apple's 'active packaging' patent application tries to reinvent the box
By Vlad Savov 
posted July 3rd 2009 9:53AM
posted July 3rd 2009 9:53AM
[Via Phone Arena]
posted July 3rd 2009 9:53AM
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This will be great when packaged unsold iPhones overheat at night and burn down the Apple Store.
Here's your new phone. It's only been active for 6 months.
So fuc'n lame, it has me thinking you guys over there at Engadget are just making random Apple shit up now.
Apple needs to hurry up and figure out wireless power just for this.
Nice. Another example of Apple unnecessarily adding flare to something basic so they can add another $50 for the "wow" factor.
This is so stupid.
I was thinking exactly the same words lol
Is it just me, or does the device in the box look awfully like a Palm Pre?
Haha yeah, I thought the same. The one on the left looks like an iPhone, the one on the right looks like a Pre because it's an iPhone with an inexplicably-Pre-shaped oval drawn around it.
I think many of the commenters here are looking at this in the wrong way, if the wireless power isn't so much part of the box, but part of the phone/day to day charging setup itself, it can't be a bad thing.
WOW! Not since I was 8 has the packaging been more interesting than the toy!
So if there's a defect with the packaging will Apple be issuing $30 iTunes coupons to the affected customers?
Jon, as in jon4lakers?
@Devin:
sorry mate I'm an Aussie lol
Stupid..apple would do something like this.
I'm sure apple has already thought of the price. With the premiums they charge I would imagine it wouldn't be too much of a dent on the price. I like this idea.
I, for one, really don't like this idea. Maybe it's just me, but I enjoy taking my iPhone out of the box and knowing that I'm the FIRST person to ever power it on, at least since it's left the factory.
How many iPhones have you bought??
Interesting idea, but the thought of devices slowly burning up their charge cycles and display lifetime isn't very appealing.
Ex-display products are sold (marginally) cheaper then new partly because they've been running for 8-12 hours a day for months on end, and people avoid them for that very reason.
Have we honestly got to the stage where people can't wait a couple of hours to use their new device?
If apple tells them they can't wait, then yes. Apple knows all....
talk about completely unnecessary
Kind of goes against Apple's recent "eco-packaging" ethos, doesn't it?
Another brilliant way to scam "fad following" consumers, presented by apple. :P
First you pay extra for this super awesome, firmware updating and ipod charging packing.
Then, later when you find that your battery sucks ass due to spending more of its life on a shelf then in your hands you realize you have a choice to make.
1. Pay to replace battery
2. Buy a new ipod
Yay for apple, they just put you in a friggin' intense infinite loop of feeding them money out your ass.
Course there's that third option, but we all know that's out of the question... buy from a different company :O
Disclaimer: No hate intended lol, I love my ipod as much as the next guy
just to show you that apple puts more thought into the packaging than the actual product.
So much for Green Company.
I would laugh if this goes through and in the first shipment, results of catching on fire come up. -_-;;
Fail @ Apple.
Apple is feeling the rampant patent infringement lawsuit war just as much as anyone else... I think they are just getting all their ideas patented no matter how far out the forecast to viability might be.
However engadgeteers... It was only a few months ago we saw the first active magazine cover that wasn't all that expensive. The cost of this sort mass consumerism packaging will be a non-issue as it will attract more people to the product, thus more sales, thus more revenue.
My bet is Apple will release a killer iPod, iPhone, Mac product line with a high price and just slip in the packaging / branding costs without anyone batting an eye... well at least not abandoning Apple in its prime.
This would be handy for seeing any dead/hot pixels before buying. I'm definitely supporting this.
Sounds like most people on the forum haven't purchased and installed many computing devices and are basiclly clueless in business and marketting.
I just unboxed a system for a client, brand new, powered it up and then spent the next freakin hour installing updates. I've spent the last 12years doing that, before which an update was the next release.
The box/device -could- also act as a software distributor so if I want msword it installs it on the way home for example after demoing it for me in the store where the clueless sales person isn't even sure what version of office does what.
There's also storage vs display space in retail. A lot of non productive storeroom space is required with a front of store display. This makes the packaging the display potentially making the storeroom into a store display.
This will also reduce packaging, inks, printing, costs and more.
I would like to see how the battery cycles are managed though.
No, you're just an Apple fanboy.
This is a bad idea.
Hey, how about just having the phone update the firmware OTA. Or maybe that would be too simple. If Apple would just give us a user replaceable battery, it wouldn't need to be in the phone and so wouldn't be discharging as it sat in the box. Hey, I solved their problem!
From the picture it looks like the box doesn't have a battery.
Rather it is just some wound wire that can be charged by induction. Much like your cordless toothbrush. This would add very little to the cost of the packaging, if they designed a cheap connector from the box to the device.
As far as running down the battery of the device. That is a valid concern. But if they had push technology, they could wake up and power the device for updates, but have it be in a very very low power sleep mode much of the time. (except during the demos!)
i say AWESOME.
The scorching hot iPhone 3GS will set its box on fire, but not to worry, the Apple store won't burn to the ground because the tears of the fanboys will put out the fire.
I'd be surprised if this sort of thing ever saw the light of day. It sounds like the type of thing that companies patent because it's new and inventive and they don't want to be left out of the money in case it becomes practical.
Other than the practicalities you have to admit, it's a good idea.