Ultra broadband (UWB) connections are gradually reaching various Apple devices thanks to the U1 chip. Presented as “space consciousness”, this slide brings interesting news to the hardware, but in which direction is UWB pointing? What will be the next step? We pick up some rumors and see What news can we see in this area.
U1, the union of the ecosystem at the physical level
Thanks to the U1 chip, devices can calculate with great precision where they relate to each other. This technology allows us to accurately locate our AirTag, for example. a Spatial awareness of where and to what extent the different devices are It’s something that can open doors to new experiences and jobs. The universal control case, which we saw in the last WWDC21, is one that, while not yet dependent on the UWB function, can benefit enormously.
However, the U1 chip is quite out of reach of some devices. It’s not available, for example, on the new AirPods Max, the Apple TV 4K HDR, or the new Siri remote, which leaves us wondering about the future of technology. For some generations This chip is included on the iPhone, for example, where it serves, among other things, the ability to unlock our cars with a single touch.
Shy, despite its growing ubiquity, and still without a word on virtual reality or augmented reality glasses in the future, this week’s patent that received regulatory approval in the U.S. was amazing. entitled “Systems for locating interactions of electronic devices with the environment. The patent explores how the orientation of one device can be used in reference to another device Improve the experience and change the way you interact.
Future augmented reality glasses will benefit greatly from this spatial awareness between devices.
Apple looks like a device similar to the remote control, although in the patent it looks more like a classic iPod Register on one device or another in our house to interact with the. In general, we can say that the Siri remote control, or its equivalent, can control the volume of the TV if it is pointed at and the volume of the stereo if that is what we want.
This orientation is detected by the chip U1, or even U2, allowing to determine the angles accurately and to act accordingly. This system would also allow Apple Show different information on the “driver” screen As far as we are concerned, something that can certainly be very useful against virtual reality glasses or augmented reality glasses.
Patents like this and others give us an insight into how we can refine and develop space-consciousness technology. Technology that is already giving us interesting uses today and that, as it evolves and spreads to more and more devices, will give more of itself.