Apple Plans To Bach-Block Your Live Event Recording

Your opinion on the pro/con smartphone camera use inside the venue argument may become moot if one or more of Apple’s recently granted patents makes its way into iPhones in the near future. In a nutshell, the patents detail the ability for the phone to receive infrared signal that will effectively disable or otherwise prevent the camera from functioning.

Unauthorized recordings have long been a hot topic going back to the days of portable audio recorders but as Smartphone cameras continue to reach new levels of quality and user friendliness, performing arts organizations and presenters have been increasingly uneasy over whether or not to embrace the trend.

PatentlyApple.com published an article on 6/28/2016 with details on the patents along with some fascinating details about how providers like Apple plan to go so far as to allow the video recorder to work inside a venue but automatically shut down when the camera is pointed at the stage (think light differentials).

If the discussion weren’t complex enough, Apple also proposes using the technology in a way that an arts organization, such as a museum, could prevent patrons from taking photos/videos of the art while simultaneously encouraging Smartphone camera use. This would be accomplished by using the camera’s screen to display information about the subject while simultaneously deactivating the ability to capture footage when the infrared signals and image recognition algorithms hook up.

If nothing else, arts organizations won’t have to worry about potentially alienating patrons if the technology becomes part of standard functionality across all major providers.