Apple was given the go signal for several patents on their Apple Watch bands, which includes self-tightening, LED progress indicator and biometric authentication.
The band may have a thermal image sensor to authenticate the carrier based on wrist skin texture and pattern, eliminating the need to put in a password via iPhone or Apple Watch.
The tightening feature can be activated for several applications. For instance, the wearer can have it auto-tighten when working out, running or exercising, or when arriving at the gym, for example. Plus, it can be a part of a two-step authentication, such as when sensitive data access is needed, e.g., the bands can tighten 5 times to indicate that the user enter ‘5’ to proceed further.
An LED indicator could show progress to current activities, such as Exercise, Stand and Walk rings, or to see just how much battery is left on your Apple Watch.
Keep in mind that not all patents make it to the final stage, and while they outline features in detail there’s no guarantee we’ll see them integrated into products soon.
