The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office today granted Apple a patent that describes a wrist-worn device containing sensors and wireless radios that allow it to communicate with other devices such as the iPhone, iPad or Mac (Via AppleInsider). It is a comprehensive patent that describes some of the core features of Apple's rumored iWatch device.
Front view of a device similar to a sixth-generation iPod nano docked into wristband
The invention details a modular device, identified in the patent as the "iTime", that features a wrist-worn, sensor-laden strap and potentially removable modules. The modules, such as a media player, can snap into a wristband, which contains add-ons like GPS and a Wi-Fi radio that increase the functionality of the device. The system is reminiscent of the sixth-generation iPod nano, which fits a wristband to become a wearable media player.
The invention pertains to an electronic wristwatch. According to one embodiment, an electronic wristband can provide additional electrical circuitry or devices that can be made available for use as or with an electronic device. In one embodiment, the electronic device can be a mobile electronic device that can be removably coupled to the electronic wristband which provides the additional circuitry or devices. Advantageously, the electronic device can utilize the additional electrical circuitry or devices provided within the electronic wristband to augment the capabilities of the electronic device. In another embodiment, the electronic device can be integrally formed with the electronic wristband which provides the additional circuitry or devices.
Side view showing wristband with docking connector (314)
Apple also describes a method of connecting the smartwatch to a mobile device that allows for the display of incoming calls, text messages and other alerts on the wrist-worn display. In another embodiment, the device can alert the user when it is out of range and thus at risk of being lost or stolen. The patent also contains provisions for movement-based controls of the wristwatch device.
Apple is rumored to be working on the iWatch, a smartwatch device that could debut later this year. Rumors suggests the wristband may include sensors to monitor activity levels, heart rate and other vital health functions. The device likely will share its data with iOS via the new Health app in iOS 8.
Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by Juli Clover
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week.
Past Launch Dates
Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent.
Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
Tuesday December 2, 2025 9:44 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple's iPhone 17 lineup is selling well enough that Apple is on track to ship more than 247.4 million total iPhones in 2025, according to a new report from IDC.
Total 2025 shipments are forecast to grow 6.1 percent year over year due to iPhone 17 demand and increased sales in China, a major market for Apple.
Overall worldwide smartphone shipments across Android and iOS are forecast to...
Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
Monday December 1, 2025 5:00 am PST by Tim Hardwick
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop.
Below is a breakdown of what we're expecting over the next ...
Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs.
On his blog Daring Fireball,...
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch.
According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
Tuesday December 2, 2025 3:30 pm PST by Juli Clover
OpenAI is deprioritizing work on advertising as it focuses on improving the quality of ChatGPT, reports The Information. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman declared a "code red" on Monday, and told employees that the company needs to improve ChatGPT so it doesn't fall behind competitors like Google and Anthropic.
Altman said that OpenAI needs to work on personalization for each user, image generation,...
Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by Tim Hardwick
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020.
If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...
It may not necessarily, but any old person (not age-wise, just random) walking down the street could look at your wrist and say "that's a smart watch". They'd immediately think that it's a regular watch if it were square. And anyways, iOS could be formatted to work on circular watches if that's what Apple plans to do.
What? "Dumb" watches are overwhelmingly circular. How would releasing a square smart watch make people think its a regular watch anymore than a circular one would?
I actually like the square look i think it is more functional and looks more modern.
But therein lies the problem with the whole iWatch rumor. Watches are jewelry. They've had 100+ years in "the wild" and people have come to appreciate them in every shape, depth, style, width, height, color, etc. We've got heavy duty metal vs. dress w/strap. We've got divers, pilots, everyday, mickey mouse, et all too. There's Rolex & Omega vs. Timex & Swatch and everything in between.
As jewelry, there is such diverse tastes in watch designs. Go to bing or google images and type in "watch designs" and then scroll through the pages of thumbnails. Where you feel as you do about the square look, others will want round, landscape vs. portrait rectangles, octagons, hexagons, and all kinds of other shapes, designs, colors, faces, etc. Should the metal be gold, silver, black, white, <other>? Should there be metal? Should the strap be metal, plastic, leather, alligator, et all and wide, thin or something in between?
In the last week I traveled a LOT and was thinking about this concept as part of those travels. So I paid a bit more attention to what was on people's arms. The variety was endless. I can't even make a case that a particular shape or type or color was obviously more popular. There is no "99.9% of people want a..." argument here. And thus, I find it hard to imagine Apple rolling out a singular design that can appeal to the masses.
When I was in college, I worked in retail jewelry. The stores in which I worked would dedicate 2-5 cases to a wide range of watch designs. There was no favorite… no one design that most people would buy. Instead, every buyer bought on what their own subjective sense of watch design favored. A Seiko, Wittnauer, Tag, Gucci, Longines, Bulova, Movado, etc could not come up with a singular design that would appeal to everyone. Instead, what appealed to everyone was design diversity. NOT complying with a mainstream design seemed to be the better play.
But what about iPhone and iPad? Prior to iPhone, smart phones were not that common. Tablets had been around but were also fringe. There was not 100+ years of endlessly diverse designs already well established in those markets. While the crowd here (and then some) will jump on anything from Apple, it's the much larger crowd beyond here that needs to buy to make an iWatch the next iPhone & iPad. While I won't completely dismiss the possibility, I find it hard to imagine that the masses would give up on the diversity of design of this particular piece of jewelry to comply with a singular "best" design. Especially for men, the watch is usually the ONE piece of jewelry they want to wear. Do they really want to blend in with all other men if the masses would adopt it?
If a singular design of this can roar, I think the iUniform must be right on it's heels. And I only half joke there. Like watch design, we've got thousands of years of clothing fashion diversity. Just as I can't hardly imagine everyone adopting a singular uniform, I find it hard to imagine everyone adopting a singular watch design.
