Many have been waiting for Apple to offer voice controls for the iPhone since its release, and it looks like they may be getting ready to do so.

The US Patent and Trademark Office published two Apple patent applications yesterday showing that the company is considering adding voice controls as a standard option in the iPhone, as well as possibly the iPods and even Apple TV.

This could be a huge evolution in the iPhone’s functionality and ease of use, which could propel the device into mainstream usage, as well as many corporations to give it a second look as a business device.

We’ll see if anything comes of this bit of Patent Office intrigue.