Apple Making Their Own Social Network? New Patent Indicates the Possibility.

A new patent granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office today has given Apple the right of use to a social networking system that institutes a number of data-base level features to ensure reliable friend states and how users interact with each other (says AppleInsider)   As far as what this patent will really mean for Apple customers (iDevice users) is still unclear.  According to AppleInsider, The  “Apparatus and method for efficiently managing data in a social networking service” should not be confused with a full-fledged social network, instead being a method of managing data within a so-called “friend service.”   Furthermore, “The main goal of any social network is connecting to other users. Apple’s invention notes that the initial relationship state between two users as “none,” meaning the two account holders have not yet interacted or sent friend requests to one another. In some embodiments, the “none” state is set as the default. A second “handshake” state is described when one of the users initiates contact, or...