Uncategorized

Apple Watch Sequence Eight could remove the Digital Crown

An Apple patent filed in 2018 and not too long ago made obtainable to the general public reveals that the corporate could also be creating a substitute for the Digital Crown on the upcoming Apple Watch Sequence 8.

The Digital Crown is the dial on the facet of Apple Watches that permits for navigation with out touching the watch display screen. It has been a function on each Apple Watch collection since launch. And admittedly, we won’t think about life with out it.

The optical sensor would substitute the Digital Crown, as proven right here on the precise facet edge. Credit score: Screenshot: US Patent and Trademark Workplace

As a substitute of the Digital Crown, the patent reveals blueprints for optical sensors on the facet of the watch, which might enable for gesture controls quite than bodily contact. Presumably, the consumer might swipe or make different finger gestures on the sensor as an alternative of the display screen, and that might transfer by navigation on the display screen.

Side by side drawings of Apple Watch from patent filing, shows a finger swiping on the new optical sensor on right side.

As a substitute of rotating the Digital Crown, customers would swipe on the sensor on the precise edge. Credit score: Screenshot: US Patent and Trademark Workplace

The optical sensor seems a lot flatter than the prevailing Digital Crown, maybe creating the flat-edge design that was rumored to look on the Apple Watch Sequence 7 however did not come to fruition. The optical sensor would additionally take up much less area, permitting for options like an even bigger battery or extra well being monitoring sensors, just like the rumored blood glucose reader and blood stress monitor.

After all, that is all solely based mostly on a patent submitting; Apple recordsdata loads of patents that by no means appear to see the sunshine of day. The Apple Watch Sequence Eight is predicted to debut in September 2022, so we’re nonetheless a methods away. Nonetheless, the considered dropping the Digital Crown has us shaking in our boots. A few of us nonetheless identical to a bodily navigation controller, OK?