Future Apple Watch bands could be fabric-based with build-in sensors

Future Apple Watches could have fabric-based “smart” watchbands with built-in sensor, as evidenced by a newly granted patent (number 10,561,367) for “electronic devices having adjustable fabric.”

In the patent filing, the tech giant says that it may be desirable to form electronic device structures from fabric. For example, a wristwatch may have a fabric strap. Apple says that, however, if care isn’t taken, fabric structures may not perform as desired. For example, a fabric strap may be uncomfortably tight or may be too loose. 

In some situations, tension variations in fabric straps for wristwatches can hinder accurate wristwatch sensor measurements. Apple wants to change this. What’s more, nodes in the fabric could produce magnetic fields that cause the knot to adjust tension in the fabric. 

Fabric tension adjustments may cause motion in the fabric and changes in the shape of the fabric. To provide the control circuitry with feedback, sensing circuitry can be incorporated into the fabric. Apple says the sensing circuitry may be used to measure fabric bending and other activities and may therefore be used in providing feedback to the control circuitry.