Safe Deposit Box: an Improved/re-branded iDisk MobleMe Feature?

A patent application revealed at PattenlyApple details Apple’s plan of adding a virtual safe deposit box to it’s future OSX release.

Apple’s patent is about a safe deposit box for securing important user files. In one aspect, when a user drags-and-drops a file representation onto a safe deposit box icon, the file is secured. In another aspect, when a user selects the safe deposit box icon and verifies his or her identity, the user could access secured files through a safe deposit box window.

Users can drag files to the “Safe Deposit Box”, the file is encrypted and sync to a remote location, while the original copy on the computer is erased securely. While news pointing out to MobileMe Apple’s subscription service becoming totally free have been around for a year, OSX 10.7 Safe Deposit Box could be a re-branded iDisk. iDisk is a paid MobileMe service that allows you to save files on your local computer and sync it to a remote location for later use. Safe Deposit Box comes built-in to the operating system, encrypted, password protected, could be initially free, and will offer in-app purchase to expand storage capacity, let’s say you want to put your iPhoto, or iTunes content to the storage box.

Not sure if the Cupertino based company will include Safe Deposit Box to the list of OSX 10.7 Lion features, but it’s possible that the feature will soon be available to the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch via an iOS app.