"Apple has been awarded a U.S. patent for a display system that would allow multiple viewers to see a high-quality 3D image projected on a screen without the need for special glasses, regardless of where they are sitting.

Following the success of 3D films in movie theaters, home electronics manufacturers are hoping that 3D technology will entice consumers to buy new TV sets and Blu-ray players. But entertainment is far from the only field in which 3D can enhance the viewing experience: others include medical diagnostics, flight simulation, air traffic control, battlefield simulation, weather diagnostics, advertising and education, according to Apple's U.S. patent 7,843,449 for a 3D display system, awarded Tuesday. "

http://www.itbusiness.ca/it/client/en/c ... p?id=60370

This requires eye tracking, and insanely high resolutions. It will probably be a long time before anything comes of this.

Yeah, eye tracking is not really a viable long-term solution (although it will be cool until we have real holograms). Still, nice to see they are trying.

I tend to agree. This is only viable for a single user anyway.
I think that we'll be using passive polarized or active glasses for a while yet for multi-viewer displays. It would be good for 3DS type devices though... or iPhone3D.

Man im gonna patent that time machine ive been dreaming about. Damn i hate Apple.

Agree, always disliked Apple.

I'm no Apple fanboi, but I think they have at least been forward thinking with regards to their personal communications and music listening devices (iPhone/iPod). I think that it could be a good thing to have a company that has the resources and often willing to take a risk on what, at first appear to be niche products, to be looking at 3D technology as this could promote rapid advancement.
For example, look how slow progress of the smartphones seemed to be before the iPhone.
The whole patent issue is a double edged sword... no company will want to invest a lot of money in technology that another company can then just copy. But this also means there is less competition since they have control over the technology.

Personally I don't like Apple either but if they take 3D mainstream, well then, I will be the biggest Apple fanboi!

I've never liked Apple nor will I ever like them.
When they take 3D mainstream I will be thankfull for them, but I won't like them...

I don't think this patent requires any higher spatial resolution (though pixels will have to be smaller.. low fill factor.) It's using time multiplexing.
Still, nothing all that novel, similar techniques have been discussed here. Problem is actually doing it.

Well in your case, fangurl.

I'm no fan of Apple either. They asren't good for the environment [not that I am an environmentalist]. You can't change a battery [officially] on your own for any of their devices. THeir products in gheneral are over priced and over hyped.

You think the Mac OS market share would be higher than the 7% it is right now if you could install the OS on any PC - and not just Apple "hardware"? I think so.

Yes. they are innovative but are turning more and more like what Microsoft was 10 years ago - proprietary.

Can ytou transfer music to an iPod without the buggy and bloated iTunes. I don't think so.

Although I own an iphone (app store is my ball & chain) and use macs at school regularly, I consider myself more of a critic than a fan. Combine Apple and Patent in the same sentance and you will find a product too expensive to be mainstream. Knowing Jobs, the projector will probably support Apple hardware only (such as a 3D blu-ray player, patent pending). To Apple, the concept of mainstream involves dominating the market with their own ideals. At present, this doesn't work in the real world.