iTunes Store, Address Book Apps To Get Visual Grid-Like Revamp In iOS 5.0? – [RUMOR]

In a new patent uncovered by the guys at PatentlyApple this week, Apple seemingly describes a number of visual tweaks to the current design of both its iOS Address Book and iTunes Store applications.

The patent entitled “Segmented Graphical Representations” describes how Apple wishes to reinvent the current user experience surrounding both of these applications, with diagrams from the patent seeming to resemble elements of Mac OS X Lion. For example, Lion’s new playable music screen saver.

It appears that Apple wants to reinvent the experience that we have with the iTunes Store on our handheld devices. In fact, the changes could apply to the way we’ll recommend music to friends when talking to them on our iPhones.

As you’ll see below, a handheld device GUI could consist of a segmented graphical representation of a seed element, such as a media element that is currently playing on your iPhone or an address book contact that you’re currently on the phone with.

The segmented graphical representation may be an album cover as shown below in patent FIG. 3 or a picture of an artist or contact that you see in patent FIG. 5. In some embodiments, the graphical representation may be segmented into a number of tiles as shown in patent FIG. 4, or may include a mosaic.

Is it possibly we could see these changes appear in iOS 5.0 set for release this summer alongside iPhone 5? – the chances are likely very slim, however, the fact that these patents now exist should tell us that Apple at least has plans to implement these (or similar) changes to both the iTunes Store and Address Book apps in the future.