William Gallagher
Future Apple Watches could have bands that act as wireless antennas to augment or replace ones within the the case. A new patent covers making flexible antennas that can be hidden within bands.
Alongside previous research into bands with sensors, Apple is investigating the use of bands for Apple Watch which contain wireless communication antennae. In a new patent application, Apple says that having the antenna outside of the Watch case could mean leaving more room inside for other components.
"In many traditional watches, neither the watch body nor any other device interacts with the watch band," explains Apple in US patent number 20190341677. " Instead, the watch body operates independently or does not interact with the watch band while communicating with any other external device. The operating components of the watch body can be protected within a rigid housing."
"However, it can be desirable to provide certain components outside the rigid housing to more effectively utilize the space within the housing," it continues. "It can also be desirable to position certain components at locations that are more accessible or that can be more effectively utilized when positioned outside the housing."
"For example, an antenna and appropriate control circuitry can be provided in a watch band, rather than in a watch body, to communicate with other devices," says the patent. "The antenna can be embedded within a body of the watch band to protect the antenna from an external environment [and the] embedded antenna can be concealed to enhance the aesthetic appearance of the watch band."
The patent describes issues around the need to a band to "stretch, bend and flex," plus details how the bands may be connected to the Watch.
Detail from patent drawings about how circuitry could be embedded within an Apple Watch bandRecently, Apple was granted a similar patent covering the embedding of electrical contacts with a band to help with charging.
It's also investigated having lights within bands to show activity information and in 2017 patented using electronics within the links of a metal bracelet band.
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7 Comments
There are just tons of opportunity here. The Watch is highly constrained by space limitations -- but additional power, antennas and sensors could all be added once the band is made accessible to the watch body. Another intriguing addition would be wireless integration with other sensors placed in strategic areas of the body such as in Airpods (body temp), bras (respiration), or embedded such as glucose monitors and other measurements of physiologic status such as electrolyte balances, pH, hydration, oxygenation, drug levels, etc., etc., etc., ... All of which could be used for both medical and sports performance purposes.
The possibilities are endless and mind boggling...
Health sensors, antennas.... I'll jump on the bandwagon. Ten years from now maybe a mini-fridge?
What happens when you don't like or want to use any of the watch bands? If they removed the "antenna and appropriate control circuitry" from the watch body would that not constrain the many options afforded watch owners?