If you own a Xbox 360, Windows Phone 7 smartphone, Wii, or 3DS, you probably already have at least one in-game avatar. Apple, which launched its iOS GameCenter last year, looks like it wants to get in on that hot cartoon representation action. AppleInsider has uncovered patent filings by the company which point to avatars coming to GameCenter soon.
The filings, entitled “Avatar Editing Environment” and “Personalizing Colors of User Interfaces”, both illustrate way in which users can create and edit their own avatars in GameCenter. Like their predecessors, the avatars in Apple’s GameCenter could be used in other GameCenter-based titles.
As I sit here, I marvel at the magic of the patent system in allowing patent applications for things I’ve been doing for years now.
