Microsoft Corporation (MSFT): Phone That Shuts Itself Off?

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is not having overwhelming success in the smartphone market at this point, as the new Windows 8 Phone operating system is slow to grab hold in the marketplace. But that doesn’t stop the company from filing a patent that just might tell the phone to shut off in the right situations.

If you’ve ever been in a church, movie theater or library with any regularity, you’ve likely experienced an errant smartphone or cellphone making noises from an incoming phone call or text – serving as a disruption to everyone around. However, virtually every phone seems to require multiple steps, including the owner remembering to take the steps necessary, to silence the phone or turning it off. But Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is taking steps to make it easier for phone owners to do that very thing – by having the phone do it by itself.

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) has filed a patent for a smartphone that can detect its location and either put itself on silent or turn itself off based on the location. Infoworld reportedly spotted the application, and a description of the application is described on CNET.  The patent application revels that the smartphone would use GPS and environmental factors like noise or light levels, to determine its location and if it is in a movie theater, for example, then the screen would automatically dim and alerts would turn off or become inconspicuous and any text messages wold become less distracting. This means you wouldn’t be able to text your friend about how good or bad “Django Unchained” is while you watch it, but you can do it without bothering the moviegoers next to you. And once the lights go up and the movie ends, the phone could then restore its normal settings.

What do you think about this new Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) patent application? How do you think this idea will affect the mobile phone market if and when it’s approved? Though its phone OS isn’t getting widespread use, does this tell you anything about Microsoft as a company? Let us get yoru comments below.

DISCLOSURE: I hold no position in any stock mentioned.

Please see these related MSFT articles:

Windows 8 is Not Moving PCs – We Have More Evidence

Microsoft Office 365 is Staking Claim in the Retail Space

Billionaire Kerr Neilson Loves Microsoft as a Cheap Stock