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Apple Files Patent For 'Multi-Functional Handheld Device'

Apple in March filed a patent for a "multi-functional handheld device;" the patent was published by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office on Thursday, according to a report by Neo at MacNN. While Apple wasn't specific as to whether this will be a brand-new device or a variation on the iPod, the company did note in the filing that users would be able to switch between different user interfaces for such functions as PDA, cell phone, games, music and video.

Of course, there is no guarantee that Apple will ever produce a multi-functional device with such options. Companies typically cover all their bases in patent filings, which gives them options to pick and choose the functionality that they ultimately want to bring to market. And Apple CEO Steve Jobs has, for example, confirmed that Apple developed a PDA that was never released, a decision that he said was the correct one.

Neo's article contains more specific information about Apple's filing.


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