Apple’s new patent indicates that the firm is working on an Apple Watch Band that could change its color by itself based on wearer’s clothes and for notification alerts.
Innovating new stuffs is a cup of tea for Apple since its launch. Apple was the pioneer in introducing exciting features in the world of technology. If you’d like to know the features that were brought by Apple, take a read here.
Following it, Apple had teased a new interesting feature in the bands of Apple Watch, enabling it to color-coordinate with different outfits, so people need not have to buy colorful bands for matching clothes. It’s not on the intend to save you money, but it happens so, at least until the price-tag is revealed.
Color-Changing Apple Watch Band
“Users may desire the ability to customize their watch bands to express variety and style,” starts Apple in the newly granted patent. Contrast to traditional watch bands, Apple’s new watch band allows wearers to control, select and/or adjust one or more colors of the band for visual display. Thanks to electrochromic features, that Apple had incorporated into it.
FYI, Electro-chromism is a phenomenon where the material displays color changes or changes in opacity due to an applied electric field or current. Conductors where ions can be rapidly and reversibly inserted, can be used as electrochromic materials.
It actually means that Apple innovates a watch band made from a fabric which is itself woven from filaments that are electrochromic materials. “Some or all of the filaments can include electrochromic features,” says Apple. For example, the band may include a conductor layer and an electrochromic layer. On applying electric field to these layers, the band will change its color accordingly.
Further continuing it Apple writes “The electrochromic layer can be electrically connected to the conductor so that voltage applied to the conductor is communicated to the electrochromic layer. The electrochromic layer can include a polymer layer which can react, in the presence of an applied voltage, to change its color, as described further herein.”
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Color Changing features of the Band
Speaking about the customizability of the colors, Apple says the band color can be adjusted or changed even while you wear it. Once a band can be made to change color by the user selecting what they want, it can also be changed by the watch. While the patent doesn’t list this as an example, a Shortcut that changes an Apple Watch face at certain times of day, could equally easily change the band’s color.
In addition, the Watch band also intimates the wearer on receiving a message or call – a notification, by changing colors you wish.
Interestingly, the color on the watch band may not necessarily be a solid one, but a mixed variety of shades. The color-adjustable elements of the watch band can be arranged and independently controlled in a manner that allows the system to display particular icons, shapes and/or text by illuminating certain elements in a particular way.
The patent filed by Apple is credited for four inventors, including three – Zhengyu Li, Chia Chi Wu, and Qiliang Xu who previously worked on research for touch-sensitive fabrics for a future HomePod.
(For more such interesting informational, technology and innovation stuffs, keep reading The Inner Detail).