The upcoming Apple Vision Pro (or at least future iterations) may sport finger sensors for touch input, as evidenced by a newly granted Apple patent (number US 11740742 B2) for “electronic devices with finger sensors.)
The US$3,499 “Spatial Computer” was unveiled at June’s Worldwide Developer Conference. However, it won’t arrive until early 2024 — and then, apparently only in limited quantities.
About the patent filing
In the patent filing, Apple notes that challenges can arise in providing output and gathering input in a wearable electronic device such as the Vision Pro. If care is not taken, input-output devices may be cumbersome to use and may not be able to provide desired output, the tech giant adds.
The Vision Pro will have gesture control and work with an external keyboard. However, Apple is also apparently considering a finger sensor configured to gather touch input from a finger. A haptic output device in the electronic device could provide haptic feedback (e.g., when a user supplies input to a finger sensor).
Summary of the patent filing
Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent filing: “An electronic device such as a head mounted device may have an inner display that displays an image for a user through lenses. Head-mounted support structures may be used to support the display and lenses.
“One or more external displays may be publically viewable while the head-mounted device is being worn. The head-mounted support structures may have a front face on which an external display is mounted. One or more finger sensors that are configured to detect touch input, force input, and/or other input from an external object such as a user’s finger may be included in the head-mounted device. A finger sensor may have an elongated shape that runs along a peripheral edge of an external display on the front face. Finger sensors may also be located on other portions of the support structures,:
