Apple has filed a patent application for “Transitional Data Sets” – describing it as an invention that would display specific applications automatically on the home screen of handheld device based on dynamic factors like location.

The device like iPhone can use location information to populate the home screen with applications based on the city in which the user is currently located. In the pictures included with the application Apple uses example of San Francisco. The home screen shows applications like Local Weather, Local Time, Local Maps and Local Contacts.

“The user can create a set of location-aware applications that can be populated by transitional data sets,” describes Apple in patent filing. “A transitional data set is a data set that can change based on the current location of the mobile device… as determined by a positioning technology.”

Apple also describes how icons of applications could change based on current location. For example, an icon showing the Golden Gate Bridge when the phone is in San Francisco, but the icon changes to New York Skyline when the phone is in New York City.

Apple says that if the user travels to San Francisco, the user can touch the “Here” button and application like Weather and Maps will automatically display information related to San Francisco.

The transitional data set concept is really interesting and it could make life easier for people how travel a lot. Plus it could help people who are new to the area.
[Via AppleInsider]