Apple has filed for a patent (number 10,419,595) that would make it easy to switch between Apple Watches or other wearable accessories.
I expect few of us have multiple smartwatches from the tech giant. Obviously, Apple wishes we would. The patent filing in question would allow a user to easily switch between set of accessories, such as a set of watches that have been paired with a device such as as iPhone.
In such a situation, the watches could automatically detect a removal of a first watch from a user’s wrist and an attachment of a second watch to the user’s wrist. Messages from the watches are transmitted to the companion device to allow the companion device to switch the active watch from the first watch to the second watch. This switch can occur while the companion device is in a locked state, and the companion device can synchronize the second watch with data received from the first watch.
The patent filing also covers such companion devices, accessory devices, and wearable items, such as watches, GPS trackers, fitness trackers, glasses, head mounted displays, heart monitors, health sensors, glucose monitors, or audio accessories, as well as jewelry, shoes, or clothing. These devices could include the rumored “Apple Glasses,” an augmented reality/virtual reality headset.
Here’s the summary of the invention: “Systems, methods and non-transitory computer readable media for allowing a user to switch between wearable items that have been paired with an electronic device, such as a smartphone, are described. In one embodiment, the wearable items automatically detect a removal of a first wearable item from a user’s body and an attachment of a second wearable item to the user’s body.
“Messages from the wearable items are transmitted to the electronic device to allow the electronic device to switch the active wearable item from the first wearable item to the second wearable item. The switch can occur while the electronic device is in a locked state, and the electronic device can synchronize the second wearable item with data received from the first wearable item. Other embodiments are also described.”
Of course, Apple files for — and is granted — lots of patents by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Many are for inventions that never see the light of day. However, you never can tell which ones will materialize in a real product.
