Apple Working On A Wireless Social Networking App Coined “iGroups”

The US Patent Office recently released the text for an Apple patent application today that describes a social networking service which would be use the location of your mobile device to link you up with other people nearby. It’s basically a Bump without bumping (the app.) The new application is said to be called iGroups and it will allow you to wirelessly exchange contact information, your schedule, and exact location with others. The iGroups app would use a public-key cryptography to allows users to exchange their personal info securely over a “trusted service” which is probably just a future version of MobileMe that Apple has in the works.

The technology would involve the wireless exchange of “tokens,” which are cryptographic public keys containing chunks of data, over Bluetooth or WiFi. Unless permitted by by the person who generates the token, you can’t decrypt it to identify the user. iGroups would go as far as forming around gatherings like concerts, sporting events, meetings, or parties. If you wanted to start an iGroup, you set your iPhone in Token Exchange mode and it begins gathering up all the tokens of the people in your area. The system will then figure out that you’re at a particular event by relating the GPS data in your token to the other devices, which would be called “anchors” that are located nearby. What makes the patent application more interesting is it also details how devices that don’t have a GPS can be detected by nearby devices that do, so they will be included in the token exchange as well.

The users can choose to join an iGroup and can decide how much information to share, ranging from full contact information and/or location to keeping parts of your information private. The iGroups app would also be able to share data with other apps such as Calendar and Address Book, as well as Messaging and Mail to allow members of iGroups to communicate and also plan things together.

This patent is just another example of Apple’s aggressive approach into services and not just hardware. Rumors of a future cloud-based iTunes have grown since Apple acquired Lala.com last year, and previous patents that were revealed have shown Apple’s plan to deliver seamless syncing of multiple devices in the cloud. As Apple moves more and more into mobile devices, it’s not surprising they are also pushing the application front to provide an experience that is innovative and unique. It isn’t just looking to compete with competitors such as Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 Series and the Android, it’s trying to stay one step ahead.

So what do you think of iGroups? Do you think you are likely to utilize it or does it seem too overwhelming? Share your thoughts and comments below.