Apple patents don't always bear fruit, but this one seems like it'll happen, and soon, actually. It's for accessing your entire iTunes library from anywhere—streamed to your iPhone or touch either via Wi-Fi or over the air. Basically, this future iTunes will sync the metadata for your whole library, and all the music and videos stored back on your computer ("virtual media items") will be totally integrated with the content actually on your device, so it'd be just like having your entire library on your phone.

Not only does this imply the long-desired ability to wirelessly sync (and over great distances), wireless iPod-to-iPod connectivity and data sharing is part of the patent too—yes, just like Zune squirting. Welcome to the social, or something. Again, while Apple patent dreams don't always come true, this one has a definite sense of realness to it—it'd make for a nice announcement at next month's expected iPod/MacBook event, in any case. [AppleInsider]

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