iPod wireless remote?

In the last couple of weeks since the iPhone has been released, rumors of the 6th Gen iPod have been flying around the web like mad. Everything from it will be touch-screen to it will include wireless has been speculated on. In 2005, Apple filed a patent that has finally been published today that only aids to this mad speculation. One part of the patent states “[The technology] would let a wireless portable media player synchronize with a server and tell that server to play files…” MacNN explains what this means:

While the patent is not certain to translate into a finished product, its existence may let Apple update the iPhone and any future Wi-Fi iPods to have them check for computers on the local network and play locally-stored entertainment as long as the computers have direct access to the proper output.

If this patent ever come to fruition, it would definitely be welcome. Being able to use your iPod or iPhone as a remote control would be great, because it is basically one less remote you have to worry about. Of course this probably wouldn’t replace the remote that would come with say an Apple TV, because not everyone owns an iPod. How would your Dad be able to sit down and watch the new Jack Nicholson movie on the Apple TV if you have your iPod with you at work?

via [MacNN]