Aware that cell phone cameras are creating increasing havoc at live performances, Apple announced that it has patented software that would disable cell photos and videos in theatres and concert halls, according to CBS News.
The technology, which consists of an infrared beam invisible to the eye, blurs the screen and displays a “recording disabled” message.
Theatre artists from Lin-Manuel Miranda to Benedict Cumberbatch and Patti LuPone have decried the use of cell phones and their recording devices at shows in recent months.
No schedule for implementation was made public. The technology reportedly would not affect other phone functions, such as incoming and outgoing calls. The technology also would not necessarily affect non-Apple phones. Questions also remain about whether the technology would be legal. Laws now bar technology that would disable the phones entirely.
