Live concerts and smartphone technology are quintessentially at odds. The former is meant to be an immersive, all-consuming experience whereas the latter effectively removes oneself from the moment. It’s become a ubiquitous sight at shows, the prevalence of cell phones being used to record what’s going down on stage. While recording a performance for posterity’s sake isn’t inherently problematic, the use of cell-phone cameras during live shows has become a bone of contention for both artists and concertgoers. Performers (including Adele) have made it a point to call out fans for filming, and Heads have likely all experienced a time when another person’s filming of a show has made the live experience less enjoyable. Now, Apple has a new patent that aims to prevent recording an artist’s live show, and it could really change the game.

Ironically, the company behind the very tool that is being used to film concerts is also the company behind the movement to combat the trend. As reported by Pitchfork, Apple has gotten approval for a patent that will make filming functions on iPhones ineffective. The tech giant first applied for the patent in 2009 in an effort to curb the usage of phones as makeshift video cameras during live events, and the inner workings of the application are incredibly intricate. As Marc Hogan reports, “the technology allows a camera to detect not just visible light, but also infrared data” and “specifically includes a drawing of a band onstage and a phone screen showing the text ‘RECORDING DISABLED.'”

The Era of Free Music Could Be Coming to An End

However, despite the heavy-handed wording of the news, it’s not certain the patent will ever translate into an enforced piece of technology. Information on how or when the technology would be implemented has not yet been released, but the implications are deep. Should Heads be prevented from filming their favorite rapper on stage?