Apple’s smart ring lets you control your iPhone and desktop with a few touches
Apple continues to work on its smart ring project as the company has been granted a patent for a wearable that has the ability to control other devices through touch input.
It’s been a while since we last heard about the “Apple Ring”. The last time we talked about it was in 2020 When an older patent revealed, the tech giant was trying to implement gesture controls. But it seems that idea has been scrapped. Instead, the Apple Ring will use a “rotating outer band” as a possible method of wireless control. according to a document found on the United States Patent and Trademark Office website. For example, moving the band allows people to scroll through a web page on an iPhone.
The patent then yields several block diagrams describing some of the gadget’s capabilities and what its current design might be.
Functions
Skimming through the document, we learned that the little gadget can potentially connect to a wide variety of hardware. This includes, but is not limited to, smartwatches, headphones, desktops, tablets and laptops. Imagine being able to control your Mac with a few twists of the bezel.
The brain of the Apple Ring seems, if you will, the “electronic jewel system” sitting on top of it. Obviously applerefers in their report to a specific image in the document describing what is inside the “jewel”. There will be a scroll ball for the outer band, a touch sensor, storage space and a haptic generator. The haptics activate when your smartphone receives a notification, causing the wearable to vibrate in response.
It looks like the Apple Ring will be rather small and “inconspicuous” as it will fit on your ring finger like a cybernetic wedding ring.
Needless to say, Apple is very ambitious with its bezel project. However, we would like to warn you to take everything here with a grain of salt. It certainly sounds impressive at first glance, but there’s no guarantee it will be available in the final product – assuming there is one. This is something that has been in the works for almost four years.
In addition, some of the information borders on the science fiction line.
Analysis: Wave of the future?
Apple Insider mentions a line the patent states that the wearable can send input to “gloves for computer-generated environments”. In other words, the ring could allow people to interact with virtual reality words without needing a controller. Sounds too good to be true in our opinion. We remain skeptical yet hopeful as high-tech accessories appear to be the next wave of the future.
Smart rings are often similar to sleep trackers like the Ouralthough there are clues pointing to it Oura Ring 4 supports contactless payments. Of course, it would be remiss of us not to mention another recently discovered patent that refers to AirPod charging cases that double as bracelets.
Rings. Bracelets. What’s next: Apple piercings? In the meantime, while we wait for the day when we can wear an outfit made entirely of Apple products, check out TechRadar’s website list of the best smartwatches for 2023.