Apple granted a patent for technology your grandpa used

by Kaloyan C. / Feb 16, 2017, 4:39 AM

Apple granted a patent for technology your grandpa used

Nostalgia is ever more popular these days, what with the world becoming a seemingly worse place by the day – just turn on the news and see for yourself. Well, someone at Apple HQ seems to be thinking the same thing, and is banking on it with the company's newest patent – a manually winding watch. The filing, titled "Connector-free magnetic charger/winder", details a number of possible implementations of what is essentially a centuries old idea, but applies it to modern devices such as the Apple Watch.

What's interesting about the patent, however, is that it isn't just a one-off, but rather a continuation of a previous 2014 filing which described almost the same thing, though in less detail. This means Apple was at one point seriously investigating the potential addition of manual winding to its smartwatch, and the patent even suggests an implementation of the idea on a mobile phone. According to the patent, manual winding could be achieved through the addition of a power generator to Apple Watch's circular dial, named the Digital Crown, which is currently used for controlling the device only.

Pictures from Apple's new wind-up watch patent

Obviously a patent application, especially one as absurd as this, means next to nothing – it's common practice for large companies to patent every idea their employees prototype. So while it's unlikely the next Apple Watch will be a wind-up model, it's interesting to glimpse the innards of Apple's design process for the device. The Apple Watch Series 3 is currently expected to launch in Q3 of this year, so we'll surely be hearing more about it soon.

source: USPTO via AppleInsider

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12 Comments

1. SIGPRO

Posts: 2815; Member since: Oct 03, 2012

Apple Sucks!

posted on Feb 16, 2017, 4:44 AM 7

2. BradyCrack

Posts: 835; Member since: Dec 29, 2015

Lol good on ya mate, have some beer you earned it...

posted on Feb 16, 2017, 5:01 AM 6

3. maple_mak

Posts: 953; Member since: Dec 18, 2013

Are you salty? Dear Apple hater. By the way, I only agree on some true innovation...as a Steve Jobs fanboy.

posted on Feb 16, 2017, 5:12 AM 1

4. SIGPRO

These patents that apple get's are just stupid. Like they patented a paper bag last year.......epic fail! Apple will become the patent troll.......oh wait.......

posted on Feb 16, 2017, 6:06 AM 3

12. AlikMalix unregistered

1. Did you read the article instead of just the title? 2. They patented the design not a paper bag! Knowing the market - they will spin off the damn thing regardless.

posted on Feb 16, 2017, 4:57 PM 0

5. sachouba

Posts: 266; Member since: Jun 08, 2014

What? Isn't that a useful, incredible, innovative feature (like all the other features from Apple)?

posted on Feb 16, 2017, 6:38 AM 4

6. AronWunarso

Posts: 242; Member since: Feb 21, 2016

I'm waiting till Apple patent an apple fruit.

posted on Feb 16, 2017, 6:40 AM 1

7. remixfa

Posts: 14605; Member since: Dec 19, 2008

I dont know why theres so much hate on the idea. Obviously this wouldn't be useful for a full charge, but if your out and about and the watch is about to die and it can give you an extra hour or so of use with just a little effort, it would be a banner feature.

posted on Feb 16, 2017, 6:59 AM 0

8. ibend

Posts: 6747; Member since: Sep 30, 2014

extra hour with just little effort? lol... ever use hand-crank powerbank? u'll need literally hundreds of spin to get 1% of charge.. and with this tiny magnet, tiny coil, and tiny crank.. you'll need to spin in gazillion times to get an extra hour

posted on Feb 16, 2017, 7:26 AM 2

9. remixfa

its also a tiny battery. and you can do a lot with gear ratios and basic physics and mechanics. Again, not useful for regular charging, but for emergency needs, better than nothing.

posted on Feb 16, 2017, 11:03 AM 0

10. talon95

Posts: 992; Member since: Jul 31, 2012

Exactly. Apple didn't like the wall hugger jokes, but now we'll be joking that to check the time you have to wind your watch for 30 seconds. For all the mechanism and circuitry it takes they could have just added a day of battery life in the space. What user wants to wind their watch?! Seriously. Put a solar panel on it and stop being silly Apple.