Apple secures patent for chameleon watch strap
Apple could be working on wristbands for its smartwatches that change colour automatically. At least this is the conclusion drawn by a patent that has now been accepted, which aims to enable the colour change with "electrochromic properties".
A strap for your Apple Watch that can take on the colour of your clothes - that's the idea behind a patent that was successfully filed with the relevant authority in the USA in February. The patent application states: "Users may want the ability to customise their watch bands to express variety and style." Apple Watch owners can of course also customise the watch band to suit their mood. To do this, they "only" have to buy a whole range of them. However, according to the patent text, this is associated with the need to change the wristband manually and carry a kind of wristband wardrobe with them.
The idea of replacing the physical changing of the watch strap with a technology is not entirely far-fetched. The portal Appleinsider describes in more detail how the whole thing should work technically.
The short version: these new bracelets would be woven from fabrics in which threads with an electrochromic layer, possibly supplemented by a polymer layer, generate different colours with tension. The patent leaves it open as to whether you will one day change the colour of your watch strap via Apple Watch or in some other way. Perhaps the watch itself will recognise the colour of the shirt you are wearing and automatically adjust the colour.
It remains to be seen whether the patent will ever become a real product. Apple is constantly filing new patents. In 2019, there were already some in which the bracelet was supposed to identify the user biometrically. More recent is a patent that uses an app to find the perfect fit for the watch strap.
Cover picture: Martin Jungfer
Journalist since 1997. Stopovers in Franconia (or the Franken region), Lake Constance, Obwalden, Nidwalden and Zurich. Father since 2014. Expert in editorial organisation and motivation. Focus on sustainability, home office tools, beautiful things for the home, creative toys and sports equipment.