Should be patentable
The suggestions that this should not be patentable or that there should be a compulsory license to other cell phone manufacturers are appealing at first glance, but a more critical analysis should demonstrate why those suggestions are not the best policy.
First, it is true that this could be a life-saving feature, but that is not a reason to exempt it from patentability. A cure for a fatal disease is a life-saving medical treatment, but few would argue against the patentability of drugs. The invention of the automatic defibrillator also saves lives, but again few would suggest that it should have been unpatentable.
Second, as another poster pointed out, this is another example of Apple solving a problem people didn't even realize they had, which is one of the best kinds of creativity and inventiveness. If we take away the incentive that patents represent, Apple and other companies will put much less effort into developing these kinds of features.
Third, other smart phones and even not-so-smart phones have had the potential to do this for years. There is nothing special about the iPhone hardware that makes this possible, although the large touch screen does make it easier. That other phone manufacturers have not thought of this further argues in favor of this being a nonobvious invention worthy of protection.
Finally, we don't yet know that Apple will refuse to license this to other manufacturers. Although Apple usually holds its patents close to its chest, it could make an exception and we shouldn't second-guess that before the patent has even been granted.
As a policy matter, we shouldn't prejudge the kinds of inventions that are or are not deserving of patent protection. The patent system works best when any new, nonobvious, and useful invention can be patented and the market is allowed to work out the value of that invention.
