Apple has taken out a patent on a new auto correct system that could save you from sending those unintentionally strangely worded texts.
The system would highlight the changes that auto correct makes in texts before they're sent, TechCrunch reported. People will have the option to review the corrections and then make changes, cancel the text or send it as is.
The patent detailed that the review system would let users decide within a countdown timeframe whether they want to send the text. The feature would be optional and could be enabled or disabled in Settings, according to TechCrunch.
Mehul K. Sanghavi and Swati J. Deo were credited as inventors in the patent application, which Apple first filed in 2012, AppleInsider reported.
"The utility of this is probably instantly recognizable to anyone who's had that stomach-dropping moment when they realized what they sent wasn't what they intended to send, and there are no takebacks," TechCrunch noted.
"The now-common use of an asterisk followed by the word you actually meant to send as an immediate (or somewhat delayed, if it takes you a while to realize) correction (*whatevs, not 'wharves') is a pretty good indicator we've got a serious and widespread problem."
Apple also secured a patent to let users type in other languages. The "Automatically changing a language for electronic messages" feature will "intelligently" recognize a language and choose a language for a reply.
The system will scan the text the user is replying to, metadata from earlier interactions with that particular contact and the user's information. A text received in French will automatically pull up a French soft keyboard. Users can also manually assign certain languages to different contacts.
Also filed in 2012, the automatic language selection patent cites Alessandro Pelosi as inventor.
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