Apple has just been awarded a new patent for a new technology that would bring touch controls to the bezel found on the display of its devices. The technology would likely find its way into the iWatch's smaller display.
Apple has been looking into ways of making the bezels of its displays work double duty. The company was recently given a patent for a fingerprint scanner that is integrated directly into the bezel of a device. This was believed to be used in the upcmong iPhone 5S. When Apple launched the iPad mini it designed the device to have very thin bezels around its display in order to give users more display screen real estate. In order to achieve this, the company also shipped the iPad mini with technology Apple created that gave the mini the ability to detect accidental touches, which included when a user's thumb was holding the device in portrait with their thumb touching the display; it didn't register as an intentional touch.
This technology seems to have the iWatch in mind with its explanation. This new technology would be perfect for a device with a very small display. It would bring touch controls to the bezel while allowing the display or different parts to be seen by the user. It would also include a sensor system that would be able to detect when a person is close to touching the bezel or when a person touches it, similar to how the iPad mini knows the difference between accidental and intended touches. The USPTO Patent description for the technology is described as as:
"Display devices and methods for operating the same are provided. In one embodiment, the display device has an electronic display having an active area for presenting visual content; a housing holding the electronic display and having an opening allowing a person to view a first portion of the active area; and a bezel about the opening, the bezel covering a second portion of the active area and providing a window through which at least a part of the second portion can be viewed. A sensor system senses when a person is close to touching the bezel or when a person is in touch with the bezel and generates a sensor signal; and a controller is operable to adjust the appearance of the active area in the part of the second portion when the controller determines that a person has touched the bezel or is close to touching the bezel."
iOS 7 has gotten more gesture friendly and some of the gestures are used starting at the bezel of displays. The iWatch has also been described, as being gesture friendly and this type of control would help keep the smaller display visible to a user by being able to perform actions using the bezel.
Apple has recently trademarked "iWatch" in many countries only leading to rumors that the device will be launched in the near future.
