It seems that Apple plans to make an easier iPod. They patented the verbal confirmation and the navigation through gestures.

On May 4, Apple submitted a patent describing audio user interface for computing devices. This patent will be used by more and more users, because it’s addressed to those who use the Ipod in situations when they can’t look at the screen. Like when you are driving or jogging. This way, iPod will inform you about every aspect of the user interface, making things easier.

From the patent:

In order to achieve portability, many hand-held devices use user interfaces that present various display screens to the user for interaction that is predominantly visual. Users can interact with the user interfaces to manipulate a scroll wheel and/or a set of buttons to navigate display screens to thereby access functions of the hand-held devices. However, these user interfaces can be difficult to use at times for various reasons. One reason is that the display screens tend to be small in size and form factor and therefore difficult to see. Another reason is that a user may have poor reading vision or otherwise be visually impaired. Even if the display screens can be perceived, a user will have difficulty navigating the user interface in “eyes-busy” situations when a user cannot shift visual focus away from an important activity and towards the user interface. Such activities include, for example, driving an automobile, exercising, and crossing a street.

The present invention pertains to an audio user interface that generates audio prompts that help a user interact with a user interface of a computing device. The audio prompts provide audio indicators that allow a user to focus his or her visual attention upon other tasks such as driving an automobile, exercising, or crossing a street, yet still enable the user to interact with the user interface. As examples, the audio prompts provided can audiablize the spoken version of the user interface selection, such as a selected function or a selected (e.g., highlighted) menu item of a display menu. The audio prompts are produced by voice generation techniques, which are also referred to as speech feedback techniques.

The other patent refers to navigating a GUI (graphical user interface) using gestures. This will help the same share of the market as above. You will be able to navigate through the interface using your fingers in a pattern. According to Apple, over 40% of the iPods are used in cars. BMW implemented the iPods in their Series 3.
From the patent:

A computer implemented method for processing touch inputs, said method comprising: reading data from a touch sensitive device, the data pertaining to touch input with respect to the touch sensitive device, and the touch sensitive device having a multipoint capability; converting the data to a collection of features; classifying the features; grouping the features into one or more feature groups; calculating key parameters of the feature groups; and associating the feature groups to user interface elements on a display.

A method for recognizing a zoom gesture made on a multipoint touch sensitive device, comprising: detecting the relative locations of a first object and a second object at the same time; detecting a change in the relative locations of said first and second object; generating a zoom signal in response to said detected change.

I’m curious how will these patents be implemeted and what impact will they have for the users.