Future Apple Watch band could change color based on what you wear

Apple is researching how a single Apple Watch band could be made to change color by itself, both to color-coordinate with a wearer's clothes, and to alert the user to information.

It's not like Apple to try saving you money, but a newly-granted patent appears to show it doing exactly that. Rather than buying different Watch bands to match different clothes, "Watch Band With Adjustable Color" proposes that you buy just one — and it changes color.

"Users may desire the ability to customize their watch bands to express variety and style," says the newly-granted patent. "For example, a user may desire a watch band of a particular color based on the user's selection of clothing, other wearable articles, environment, or another preference."

"Some existing watches offer the user with an ability to remove and exchange different watch bands for customization," it continues. "However, this requires the user to have a separate watch band for each of the colors or color combinations that are desired."

"Furthermore, the user is required to remove and exchange the watch bands whenever a different color or color combination is desired," says Apple.

It's funny how Apple can make changing Watch bands now seem like this dreadful burden, after years of boasting how simple it is. But that was back when we had "traditional watches," apparently, and now we should be able to "control, select, and/or adjust one or more colors of the watch band for visual display."

Apple's patent describes the idea by referring to Watch bands with "electrochromic features." This means that "an applied voltage" can cause "a variety of colors and color combinations to be displayed by a single band."

While the patent attempts to describe every possible use of its core idea, the central examples revolve around bands that are made from a fabric which is itself woven from filaments.

Detail from the patent showing how a user could swipe on Apple Watch to change band color

"Some or all of the filaments can include electrochromic features," says Apple. "For example, one or more of the filaments can include a conductor and an electrochromic layer."

"The electrochromic layer can be electrically connected to the conductor so that voltage applied to the conductor is communicated to the electrochromic layer," it continues. "[The] electrochromic layer can include a polymer layer... [which] can react, in the presence of an applied voltage, to change its color, as described further herein."

Apple's patents are typically focused on how a result can be achieved, with very little detail about what it could be used for. This one is unusual in how much it details the usefulness of a Watch band changing color for style reasons.

"The color selections can be made and adjusted without removing and exchanging the watch band," says Apple. "Accordingly, a variety of colors can be displayed at different times without requiring different watch bands for each color or color combination."

Once a band can be made to change color by the user selecting what they want, it can also be changed by the Watch. While the patent doesn't list this as an example, a Shortcut that today changes an Apple Watch face at certain times of day, could equally easily change the band's color.

What Apple does suggest is that the Watch itself could change the color "to provide a notification to the user."

So perhaps as well as a green activity ring closing on your Apple Watch, your band could flash the same color. But Apple wants more than solely a single, overall color change.

"The color-adjustable elements of the watch band can be arranged and independently controlled," says Apple, "in a manner that allows the system to display particular icons, shapes, and/or text by illuminating certain elements in a particular way."

So from this color-changing technology there could also come the ability to have a text message scroll around your Apple Watch band like a news ticker.

The patent is credited for four inventors, including three — Zhengyu Li, Chia Chi Wu, and Qiliang Xu — who previously worked on research for touch-sensitive fabrics for a future HomePod.

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11 Comments

lkrupp 19 Years · 10521 comments

About 1 year ago

Anyone old enough to remember ‘mood rings’?

DAalseth 6 Years · 3067 comments

That might justify Apple’s price for their bands.

ihatescreennames 19 Years · 1977 comments

DAalseth said:

That might justify Apple’s price for their bands.

I worked with a guy who would only buy knock-off bands for his Apple Watch. He couldn’t justify paying $49 when he could pick one up for $5 or $10. One time he was expressing his disappointment in a knock-off of a Nike Sport Band because in under a month the outer color was wearing off to reveal the “highlight” inner color in little spots all over the place, mostly where the band would run against itself. It was black and red and looked pretty bad. No matter! He threw it away and bought another, but different colors, “I don’t care, it’s only $10!”

Though it took a bit longer the same thing started happening with the next band. Replaced!! “I don’t care, it’s only $10!”
Other times the material would get tears around the areas more prevalent to wear, like the oval hole where one end of the band would go through the other. Discard, replace, “I don’t care, it’s only $10!”

This continued as long as I worked with him. Shortly before I left that job I purchased a Nike Sport Band in two tones of blue. I’ve worn it almost exclusively every day since I got it, with the exception of times when I swap it out for my Space Black Link Bracelet, which isn’t particularly often. That was in May of 2017. I’m coming up on 6 years of using the same band. It shows no signs of wear. Perhaps the colors have faded but I can’t tell.

I have no doubt that that guy has spent more replacing his cheap bands than I spent on just one that lasts.

Yup, Apple’s bands cost more, much more, and I’d bet the markup is huge. For me, I’d rather pay more and have them last than spend my money ion something that won’t. I find value in that. To each their own, obviously there’s a market for junk bands, I just don’t want to participate in it.

Back on topic, this seems like a cool idea. We see a lot of cool patents from Apple around bands but so far haven’t seen anything change (other than colors and styles). I hope we get to see some of these innovations sometime soon.

ihatescreennames said:

DAalseth said:

That might justify Apple’s price for their bands.

To each their own, obviously there’s a market for junk bands, I just don’t want to participate in it.

I respect that. I used the original band, a black magnetic one for a year, and then replaced it with a Braided Sport Loop. They are great bands. But the BSL is now $129 here in Canada. Worse yet the BSL slowly relaxes and by this winter was too loose. So rather than ordering another one I picked up a set of bands that are stretchy like the BSL, but also adjustable so I can correct if the stretchiness declines. This is a feature the BSL should have rather than discrete sizes. Cost? A three pack, black, blue, and red, for $17. Ok, they might not last like iron like the Apple leather band but it will be a long time before I spend as much total as the Apple band costs. Like you said to each their own.

Yes, to each their own but isn’t it interesting how people extrapolate their personal experiences into tarring an entire product line as defective, badly designed, or useless.