A key feature of the Apple Watch is its digital crown, which allows users to navigate the watchOS interface without touching the screen. However, Apple seems to be studying a way to replace it, because a new patent shows an Apple Watch with an optical sensor, and its position is exactly where the digital crown occupies.
According to Patently Apple, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published a new patent from Apple this week that reveals how the digital crown on the Apple Watch is replaced by an optical sensor that can recognize user gestures.
The patent is titled Watches equipped with optical sensors for user input and shows how the company uses new sensors to allow users to scroll and navigate on the interface while reducing the number of moving parts in the Apple Watch. Without the digital crown, the optical sensor detects the user’s gestures and turns them into system control.
Apple pointed out in the patent that removing the digital crown not only makes the Apple Watch more durable but also frees up space for other components, such as new sensors and even larger batteries.