Apple wants to put a Dynamic Island on your wrist – but not how you'd expect

A Dynamic Island on your Apple Watch? Kind of – and it’s genius

Apple Watch Series 10 review
(Image credit: Future)

Hot on the heels of that foldable Apple Watch patent, Apple’s latest smartwatch concept suggests it’s not just thinking about bigger screens – it’s thinking smarter ones, too.

A recently surfaced patent reveals the tech giant has come up with a way to turn the side of the Apple Watch into a dynamic, touch-sensitive control surface – essentially creating a mini Dynamic Island, but wrapped around your wrist.

As spotted by Patently Apple, the patent details a clever design that replaces the traditional metal watch case with a glass shell. The key twist? That glass would be interactive.

Depending on what app or function is running on the watch, the side panel could morph into different controls, from volume sliders to fitness buttons or even scrollable lists.

This kind of contextual interface is very on-brand for Apple. Think about the iPhone’s Dynamic Island – a space that shapeshifts to show you what’s most relevant: music playing, timers, FaceTime calls.

Now imagine a similarly adaptable approach to the Apple Watch, but applied to the edges of the device instead of the face.

Patent showing Apple Watch with glass side panels

(Image credit: Patently Apple)

According to the patent, the side could display iconography, text, or controls that change in real-time, based on the app in use.

So if you’re scrolling through workouts, it might give you swipe-based navigation. If you’re listening to music, it might show track and volume controls. All while keeping the main watch display uncluttered.

This new patent confirms that Apple is still thinking differently – not just about the watch face, but about what a watch can be.

As always, patents don’t guarantee a product, but they do offer a peek into the future Apple’s designing for.

And if even a slice of this makes it into a future Apple Watch, it could change how we interact with wearables all over again.

Matt Kollat
Section Editor | Active

Matt Kollat is a journalist and content creator who works for T3.com and its magazine counterpart as an Active Editor. His areas of expertise include wearables, drones, fitness equipment, nutrition and outdoor gear. He joined T3 in 2019. His byline appears in several publications, including Techradar and Fit&Well, and more. Matt also collaborated with other content creators (e.g. Garage Gym Reviews) and judged many awards, such as the European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance's ESSNawards. When he isn't working out, running or cycling, you'll find him roaming the countryside and trying out new podcasting and content creation equipment.

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