A mega Apple iPhone patent application has just released by the USPTO (Jobs et al. 20080174570: 361 pages!). It contains a detailed description of most of the iPhone’s user interface. There are two interesting features which haven’t been seen before in the extant iPhone — support for Flash and Window Media and a useful iPhone lock screen which gives details of missed calls, IM etc… obviously these features may not become standard but features in the patent application often do.

Flash and Windows Media content on the iPhone

From the patent:

FIG. 40A illustrate exemplary user interfaces for playing an item of inline multimedia content in accordance with some embodiments.

In some embodiments, user interfaces include the following elements, or a subset or superset thereof: inline multimedia content, such as QuickTime content, Windows Media content, or Flash content;

A first gesture is detected on an item of inline multimedia content (e.g., 4002-1, FIG. 40A) in the displayed portion of the structured electronic document. In some embodiments, the inline multimedia content comprises video and/or audio content. In some embodiments, the content can be played with a QuickTime, Windows Media, or Flash plugin.

I agree with Daring Fireball’s assessment; Apple could put Flash on the iPhone, this patent application suggests they have thought about it, but thus far for whatever reason they haven’t.

iPhone lock screen Summarises Missed Calls and IM

The iPhone’s lock screen is pretty but not that functional. It’s often useful to be able to glance at one’s phone and get a summary of missed messages and upcoming events without having to unlock the phone (as easy as that may be). A third party solution for unlocked iPhones exists to add function to the lock screen (how well it works I don’t know). The patent application demonstrates a number of lock screen options — I for one would love for Apple to implement this feature soon.