The 3D Touch feature of Apple’s iPhone was loved by many users, but after only 3 years of use, Apple gave up. Recently, the United States Patent and Trademark Office announced a new patent for Apple’s pressure sensor. Although the possibility is very small, it seems to be an upgraded version of 3D Touch.
The patent was discovered by “Patently Apple” and is mainly applied to Apple Watch and smart watch rings. It is a new type of watch equipment, earphones, smart glasses, personal medical equipment (such as home health monitor, wearable device), sleep tracking device, activity monitoring device or exercise device.
The patent content shows that the pressure sensing technology is suitable for small electronic devices such as Apple Watch and AirPods; the new technology is completed by using a micro-electromechanical fluid pressure sensor. The sensor is more durable.
Apple’s patent document has a schematic diagram applied to the Apple Watch, which will be mounted on the original button position of the Apple Watch (the flatter button below the digital crown), and through this technology, the Apple Watch will not have physical buttons, and will be directly replaced by pressure sensing. .
(Source: US Patent and Trademark Office)
If this technology is used in a smart watch strap, the smart watch can directly measure blood pressure, heart rate and pulse speed.
However, for most users, it is still quite curious how this technology will be used for the iPhone.
The patent document shows that multiple new pressure sensors can be placed under the panel of the mobile phone, and an array of non-single modules can be used to increase the force detection area. Although Apple’s patent documents do not provide a method for the iPhone, if Apple does make a patent function in the future, it means that users can expect a certain generation of iPhone to use “3D Touch 2.0”.
(Source: US Patent and Trademark Office)
Also remind that Apple has obtained quite a few patented technologies, but not all of them will be commercialized, so this new patent for pressure detection may not necessarily be commercialized.
(Source of the first image: Apple)
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