Apple could be set to move into the vaping market, with the tech giant filing a patent for a vaporizer.
Vaping has become increasingly popular over the past few years, with many using vapes to inhale nicotine or marijuana, or to replace cigarettes for those looking to give up smoking. A new concept filed in a patent suggests that Apple is considering moving into this market, meaning that we could soon have Apple-branded vapes on our hands.
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The patent describes a “substance that is to be vaporized or sublimated into a vapor,” according to CNN, though doesn’t specify what the substance might be. The patent also shows a diagram for a device with heated plates, turning the substance into vapor inside a chamber.
The patent was filed back in June 2016, though it would not be the first time an Apple employee was involved in the vaping business. As noted by Digital Trends, Apple developer Mark Williams left his position at the company to work on the Firefly vaporizer, before the vaping boom happened years later. The Firefly occupies the luxury end of the vaping market, with prices starting from $329.
But vaping hobbyists (because that is a thing now) may want to reduce their excitement levels, as it is possible that Apple isn’t playing to produce a vaporizing system for personal use. According to Leafly, Firefly Vapor COO Baran Dilaver called the patent “exciting news,” but added that it doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll be seeing Apple-branded vapes any time soon. “It confirms our vision about innovating in the vaporization space,” he said in a statement. “However, I don’t think that this patent is intended for our segment specifically based on my reading of the application.”
