Apart from the trackpad on the MacBook, Apple has all but abandoned Force Touch (also known as 3D Touch) technology in its products. However, the company still appears to be planning to reintroduce Force Touch in some way, as new patents show that Apple is working on the next-generation pressure sensor for the Apple Watch, MacBook, and even the iPhone.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published multiple Apple patents related to pressure sensors on Thursday. The patents cover how sensors can be used for different purposes on Apple devices. One of the patents revealed pressure sensors designed for “small devices” like the Apple Watch or even AirPods.
Conventional pressure sensors take up “a lot of volumes” inside the product, making them difficult to install in some devices. With this new technology, Apple will be able to create pressure-sensitive surfaces using microelectromechanical fluid pressure sensors.
The patent shows an Apple Watch with pressure-sensitive side buttons, suggesting the company may replace physical buttons with new ones based on pressure sensors. Interestingly, the second patent shows how the company could test pressure sensors to create a smart band for the Apple Watch that can detect blood pressure and even pulse wave speed.