If you are the type of person who prefers complete and absolute privacy when using a smartphone, you will appreciate Apple's latest patent application. The product "Privacy Screen" that lines up with the newly filed patent is an interesting way to make sure that no one (not even you) can see what is being displayed on your screen without the help of a very specific tool: the Apple Glass.

As spotted by AppleInsider, the patent is credited to Clement Pierre Nicolas Boissi Re and Timothy R. Oriol and contains some pretty impressive potential applications for future Apple technology If this is really what Apple is pursuing, then it is a good thing. If this is indeed what Apple pursues, it will revolutionize the way we fundamentally use our phones and tablets.

Using the method proposed in this patent, Apple Glass users would simply look at their iPhone or iPad screen using AR and it would appear as if it were real; others looking at their iPhone or iPad without Apple Glass would see nothing. Nothing is displayed. This AR view not only displays information, but also registers the operations seen through Apple Glass on the device's screen, giving other users the illusion that they are using a device with nothing on the screen. [In fact, this mysterious AR lens project has not even been confirmed yet. One analyst believes the product could appear in 2021, while others say a 2022 debut could be on the horizon.

One reason to wait longer for further information is likely to be one of the potential uses for Apple Glass. The patent suggests a way to eliminate the need for polarized screen covers, which some users employ on their phones and monitors to prevent peeking.

Privacy screens are flawed, the patent claims: "If privacy is not important, the user may remove the privacy screen, in which case the user must store, transport, and reinstall the privacy screen.

In addition to its ability to obfuscate information outside of the Apple Glass wearer, the application highlights the way multiple devices can detect each other's relative location. For example, one device could potentially register a blank unused screen if you are actively looking at that device rather than another device nearby.

As Apple touts its support for user privacy, this feature is very likely to become a key mechanic in the repertoire of Apple Glass users when Apple Glass is finally launched. Even if this particular application were to fall by the wayside (although the patent does not guarantee that the feature will be included in a shipping product), it is certainly possible that the company will eventually revisit the issue.