Apple Watch in the future may remove the Digital Crown ‘knob’

For Apple Watch, the Digital Crown is one of the unique features that allows users to navigate without having to touch the screen. This “crown crown” also has haptic feedback thanks to a vibrating feedback mechanism to provide a realistic, physical rotation like turning the mechanical “knobs” on a traditional watch. However, new patents indicate that Apple may in the future remove the Digital Crown “knob” and replace it with a new type of sensor.

Specifically, according to GizmoChina, new patents for an Apple Watch model have been registered by Apple with the US Patent and Trademark Office. The name of this invention is “Apple Watch with Optical Gesture Sensor”.

Included in these patents are images that describe how the new sensor on the Apple Watch works. Specifically, the optical sensor position will be placed by Apple at the Digital Crown position, which shows that the Digital Crown will soon be removed. With the optical sensor, users can manipulate this sensor to navigate the way they navigate with the Digital Crown, but instead of “turning the knob” it is now a swipe up or down. It’s like a super mini version of the Magic Trackpad.

By replacing a mechanical component with a sensor surface, Apple will save a bit more space inside, minimizing components that can move, which can help increase battery capacity. Or integrate many other types of sensors.

Using optical sensors will also help open up more potential for Apple Watch, such as health monitoring features including heart rate measurement, breathing rate measurement, SpO2, blood volume measurement or blood pressure measurement.

Of course, the above inventions are only at the “paperwork” stage and we cannot be 100% sure that Apple will realize these ideas. Apple like many other manufacturers always file many patents, and only a few are realized.