Highlights

• Apple is working on stretchable fabric watch straps with embedded sensors.
• The sensors will include metrics like blood pressure and respiratory rates.
• In November 2024, Apple was granted 38 new patents.

Apple Watches is one of the most premium consumer tech products today that offers advanced health tracking features.

In the past few years, more and more people are relying on Apple watches for basic health tracking needs.

The one thing that separates Apple watches from other smartwatch companies is its accuracy based on advanced tracking features and precise sensors.

Now, recent reports suggest Apple is working on taking things a step further by exploring new ways to embed health sensors directly into the bands of future Apple Watch models.

Caption – “Perspective view of an illustrative item such as a band that is formed from elastic fabric.” (Image credit – Patently Apple)

In November 2024, the US Patent and Trademark Office granted Apple 38 new patents. Out of these, patent number 12133743 titled “Fabric-based items with stretchable bands” has highlighted by Patently Apple for how Apple is developing watch straps with stretchable fabric and adding sensors on them. These sensors would measure various health metrics including blood pressure and respiratory rates.

In its report sharing the patent details, Patently Apple writes, “The wearable device may be a wrist band with elastic fabric, a headband with elastic fabric, or other wearable items that includes elastic fabric (e.g., a hat, an undergarment worn on a user’s torso or lower body, a shirt, pants, shorts (e.g., bicycle shorts, board shorts, or other snugly fitting clothing), yoga clothing or other athletic attire, an armband, an elastic belt, a sock, a glove, etc.”

Apple already offers stretchy fabric bands for its watches, so it’s possible we could see these sensor-equipped straps in the next generation of Apple Watches. The patent also describes how the fabric’s circuitry might receive wireless power, allowing the strap to be charged without cables.

Apple reportedly has also suggested this technology could also work in a headband with elastic fabric similar to the one on the Vision Pro headset.

While Apple isn’t the first to explore this idea as Huawei’s Watch D2 already monitors blood pressure from its band.

However, this new patent highlights the commitment of the brand to offering its users more sophisticated wearable health tech.

Moreover, the patent mentions that these bands could be made resilient to high temperatures, which makes them suitable for use in extreme climates.

Here’s a list of all patents granted to Apple in 2023

FAQs

Q1. What new feature is Apple exploring for future Apple Watch models?

Answer. Apple is exploring embedding health sensors into the bands of future Apple Watch models to measure various health metrics including blood pressure and respiratory rates.

Q2. What recent patent has Apple been granted related to Apple Watch bands?

Answer. In November 2024, Apple was granted patent number 12133743, which involves developing watch straps with stretchable fabric and embedded sensors.

Q3. How will the sensor-equipped Apple Watch bands receive power?

Answer. The patent describes that the fabric’s circuitry might receive wireless power, allowing the strap to be charged without cables.

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