Apple has created several different bands for the Apple Watch. All of them are designed for aesthetic purposes, so depending on whether you want to exude a sporty image, smart casual, or luxurious, there’s a band for it. However according to a recent patent discovered by AppleInsider, Apple could be thinking of a band that is also functional.
Obviously the bands now are functional in the sense that they keep the watch from falling off your wrist. However what we mean is that the band will do more than keep the watch in place. As you can see in the patent’s diagram above, it has been suggested that this particular Apple Watch band could also double as a protective case.
Dubbed the Magnetic Wristband, it describes a band that features a magnetic closure-style strap. While this is similar to other bands like the leather loop or Milanese loop, the difference is that it can be converted into a storage configuration simply by looping the band the other way around and across the screen of the Apple Watch.
So why would anyone need such a band, you ask? Given that the lower-end Apple Watches are made from Ion-X glass instead of sapphire, it would be nice if it had some additional form of protection when not in use. However this is a patent so there’s really no telling if Apple will ever make it a reality.
Filed in . Read more about Apple Watch, Patent, Smartwatch and Wearable Tech.