Future Apple Watches may have a flashlight feature as evidenced by a newly granted Apple patent (number US 12093088 B2) for a “Modular Light Assembly For A Wearable Device.”
About the patent
Wearable devices, including smartwatches, include a display that presents visual information (e.g., textual information, images) to a user. Additionally, some wearable devices can illuminate the display to provide a light source for a user.
The iPhone has a flashlight feature, so why not an Apple Watch?
From the patent: “A wearable device, such as a smartwatch, can perform a range of functions that are managed by the components (e.g., sensor hardware, circuitry, and software) included with the wearable device. For example, a wearable device may include a display designed to present visual information to a user as well as receive an input from the user. Moreover, some displays of wearable devices can illuminate to simulate a light source, such as a flashlight. For example, one or more pixels of the display can illuminate in a white, or near-white, appearance.”
Summary of the patent
Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent: “A modular light assembly is designed for integration with wearable devices. For example, the modular light assembly can connect with a wearable device, such as a smartwatch, including both a device housing and a band of the wearable device. Additionally, the modular light assembly can receive communication from the wearable device through various means, including inductive energy transfer. As a result, the modular light assembly can receive communication from the wearable device to activate (turn on) or deactivate (turn off) one or more light sources of the modular light assembly. Additionally, or alternatively, the modular light assembly device may include a button coupled to a switch that can activate or deactivate the light source(s).”
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