Yesterday the U.S. Patent Office published two Apple patent applications that cover: 1) a major update to an ancient patent regarding a slap bracelet; and 2) deep details about the iPhone’s “NameDrop” feature which is now a patent fulfilled.

Continuous Flexible Display Slap Bracelet

In 2013, two years prior to Apple Watch, a patent surfaced that gave the impression that it would be the upcoming Apple Watch design that was, at that point, still a mystery.  The origins of this invention actually goes back to 2011. Since then Apple has been granted two patents for this invention, with the last one being in 2022.

Apple continues to update the specifications for this smart slap bracelet design that  could easily double as an alternative Apple Watch design. Apple’s latest continuation patent adds a major addition. For the first time, Apple lists in their patent claims that the “flexible display is touch sensitive.” This is mentioned in claims #7 and  #14.

Whether Apple is bold enough to ever introduce a smart slap bracelet as described in this patent is unknown. For those interested in reviewing the full details of this invention, check out patent application 20240370053.

Details behind Apple’s ‘NameDrop’ Feature

It’s rare that Apple releases a new device feature prior to its patent being published, but this is one of those times. This is a patent fulfilled.

Apple states that some techniques for transferring content using electronic devices, however, are generally cumbersome and inefficient. For example, some existing techniques use a complex and time-consuming user interface, which may include multiple key presses or keystrokes. Existing techniques require more time than necessary, wasting user time and device energy. This latter consideration is particularly important in battery-operated devices.

Accordingly, the present technique provides electronic devices with faster, more efficient methods and interfaces for transferring content between computer systems. Such methods and interfaces optionally complement or replace other methods for transferring content between computer systems. Such methods and interfaces reduce the cognitive burden on a user and produce a more efficient human-machine interface. For battery-operated computing devices, such methods and interfaces conserve power and increase the time between battery charges.

Below is a series of patent figures illustrating the transfer of photos and/or data between 2 Apple Watches and/or an Apple Watch and iPhone.

Apple’s patent was filed on February 2024 and published on Thursday November 7^th. Review patent application 20240373201 for details and a great number of patent figures of this patent fulfilled.

For sharing with just another iPhone, see this NameDrop report or Apple’s guide.  For NameDrop for Apple Watch see Apple’s second guide.