SoylentNews

takyon [soylentnews.org] writes:

Apple may have patented something [cnn.com] a lot more desirable than a smartwatch:

Apple's product lineup may extend beyond cars and the connected home. A patent [uspto.gov] filed last year and published January 26 reveals a concept for a vaporizer. The details are a bit hazy -- that is, Apple's patent only describes "a substance that is to be vaporized or sublimated into a vapor," not what the substance might be. The patent, filed by Apple employee Tetsuya Ishikawa, outlines plans for a temperature-regulated plate inside a chamber that heats up a substance to form a vapor.

Many people use vapes to inhale nicotine or marijuana, and they are sometimes used as a replacement for cigarettes. The FDA began regulating [vice.com] vaping last year, and set rules for the manufacturing and distribution of vapes and their components. Vaporizers are also used in industries like healthcare and agriculture, so it's possible Apple is thinking bigger than personal use.

Also at The Verge [theverge.com].

Original Submission