Last month, Motorola received a patent for a "Communication device having a scent release feature and method thereof."
The phone becomes what amounts to a wireless-capable Glade PlugIn. It uses the phone's battery to heat a replaceable scent pack to 54 degrees Celsius, which releases the fragrance.
The unit is designed to have a stronger smell than other local odors. "Plug-in units typically provide a stronger scent over a broader area than non-plug-in scented items, given that the scents are activated by the heat energy in the plug-in devices," the patent explains.
Is there a need for a scent-generating phone? Motorola believes so. "Some cellular telephone users are the same individuals who enjoy having plug-in scent units located around their homes, and may miss not having a nice smelling fragrance while they are on the go," the patent states. "Therefore, a need exists for a communication device such as a cellular telephone that can address some of the above-mentioned problems."
No doubt the device, when released, will be re-branded with some clever, vowel-deprived name like Smelr, Flowr, or Whiffr. When might that be? Who knows. Perhaps after the iPhone hysteria dies down.