Google patents smartwatch with Soli sensor for hand gestures

Patents are always interesting since they give us a look at products and features a company might eventually release.

While we’ve been waiting some time for Google to launch its own smartwatch, a recent patent filed by the tech giant shows off Soli gesture commands for a wearable. Soli is the radar-based technology that enables gestures in the Pixel 4. Though we can’t know for sure, this patent could relate to the often-rumoured Pixel Watch.

Google filed the patent in January 2019, but the U.S. Patent Office only recently published it. The patent describes how the Soli technology included in the wearable is similar to what is featured in the Pixel 4. The Soli technology allows users to make gestures with their hand and wrist to control a smartwatch. Users would be able to clench or relax their hands as a gesture, tap their fingers together or flip their wrist. It’s unclear what each of these gestures do, though they’re likely used to perform actions like closing an app or enabling Google Assistant.

It’s important to note that information included in patents doesn’t always end up being featured in consumer products. There have been Google smartwatch-related patents in the past, but none of them have resulted in a consumer product. This patent was discovered by Patently Apple.

Image credit: Patently Apple

Source: Patently Apple