Apple patents self-service check-in app for iPhone

Apple patents self-service check-in app for iPhone
April 23, 2010

Apple has patented a self-service airline check-in application for its popular iPhone mobile device, according to the website Patently Apple. The app, according to the patent information, would handle the ticketing, baggage check and security documentation normally managed via paper ticketing, live customer service and kiosks.

The illustrated patent reported on Patently Apple's website shows the use of Near Field Communication (NFC) for some of the proposed functions. While this is not something that current models of the iPhone can do, it may point to features soon to appear on 4G versions of the iPhone.