New Apple patents hint at a better pressure sensor technology

Force Touch, also called 3D Touch, was a technology that Apple used for some years but then suddenly replaced with Haptic Touch. With 3D Touch, iPhone users had the ability to access more menus by simply applying different pressures to their iPhone display.

Although it's a tiny possibility, it appears that Apple might again introduce a newer and improved version of its previous 3D Touch technology. The US Patent & Trademark Office published a few new patents from Apple for various future Apple devices, and all of them are for new force-pressure sensors (via Patently Apple).

Possible pressure sensors in the Apple Watch

One of these patents is for force-pressure sensors built into the Apple Watch and small form factor devices such as the AirPods. According to the patent,  Apple's new pressure-sensitive surface would utilize microelectromechanical fluid pressure sensors. These sensors would be smaller, have better force sensitivity, and be more durable than conventional pressure sensors.

To get a better idea of how the new pressure sensor technology could be implemented into the Apple Watch, Apple has shown in its patent a picture of an Apple Watch with a pressure-sensitive side instead of a physical button.

Possible pressure sensors in Apple Watch bands

Another Apple patent shows how Apple's new pressure sensor technology could be utilized in Apple Watch bands, creating so-called smart bands. Thanks to the new technology, these smart bands would be able to detect blood pressure, heart rate, and pulse wave velocity.

Possible pressure sensors in the iPhone

Apple's patents show that Apple's new sensor tech could be utilized in the iPhone. The image below, for example, shows how Apple could put multiple small pressure sensor modules in the iPhone instead of a single component.