Google is considering a significant shift in the Pixel Watch’s design philosophy. The company is reportedly planning to remove all physical buttons from its upcoming Pixel Watch 3 smartwatch and instead add gesture controls to access the watch. This speculation comes from a recently filed patent titled “Gesture recognition on watch bezel using strain gauges,” which outlines a system that utilises strain gauges embedded within the watch bezel to detect gestures such as swipes, presses, and squeezes.
The patent states that the watch may “include a housing, and one or more sensors positioned along an inner periphery of the housing.” Acknowledging the current limitations of physical buttons, the patent notes that content on small-screen devices is obscured when touching the device making it difficult to select and scroll with precision. Further, the rotating scrolling buttons have a complicated mechanical structure and waterproofing them also has its own share of difficulties.
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By eliminating the physical button, Google will let users control the smartwatch without repeatedly touching the display. If implemented, the elimination of physical buttons would mark a notable departure from the Pixel Watch 2, which features buttons for navigation and interaction. By removing physical buttons, the company could potentially create a thinner and more comfortable watch bezel. Additionally, gesture control might offer a more intuitive experience for some users, eliminating the need to learn the placement and function of physical buttons.
While Google’s patent does not explicitly state that the gesture control will be used to implement a double tap feature, there is a possibility that this is what Google is aiming for. Double tapping on the Apple Watch gives users hands-free access to the device. With this feature, users can perform tasks like picking up calls or playing music without touching the screen of the Apple Watch.
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