The Apple Watch is one of the company’s most notable product success stories in recent years. So it would make sense for Apple to continue exploring the potential of new wearable accessories. And, if a new patent application published this week is any indication, Apple is probably going to be producing an “Apple Ring” fairly soon.
The title of the patent says it all, “Devices, methods, and user interfaces for a wearable electronic ring computing device.” The ring contains a processor, wireless transceiver, power supply, and a microphone. There would also be other sensors included within the ring to enable hand gestures to be detected and interpreted, along with a dial control perpendicular to the ring’s circumference that could function like the Apple’s Digital Crown.
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The technology covered by the patent relates to a finger ring with a touchscreen that includes a processor, a rechargeable source of power and a wireless transceiver. With the ring worn on one finger, a finger tap, voice command or hand gesture can be used to control the action on another device like an iPhone or an iPad.
While the patent itself is dense, it’s pretty much describing an Apple Watch you wear on your finger — complete with Apple Pay, fitness tracking and the ability to communicate with other devices wirelessly. Also like the Apple Watch, it’s very much a companion device that relies on your other Apple products to work, and not a standalone product.
Might this smaller, arguably simpler interface fully replace the Apple Watch, if it connects to your phone, Siri and other smart devices around the home? Time will tell if Apple decides the devices can sit alongside each other, but we seriously doubt the company is planning to kill off their massively successful Apple Watch line.
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