Ultra-wideband (UWB) communication is gradually reaching various Apple devices thanks to the U1 chip. This chip, which was presented as a “spatial consciousness”, brings interesting novelties to the devices, but in which direction is the UWB pointing? What’s the next step ? Let’s collect some rumors and see what news could 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 are in relation to each other. It is this technology that allows us to precisely locate our AirTag, for example. Nail spatial awareness of the location and distance of different devices it’s something that can open doors to new experiences and features. The case of Universal Control, which we saw in the last WWDC21, is one that, although it does not yet rely on the UWB to function, can benefit greatly from it.
The U1 chip, however, is pretty elusive for some devices. It’s not available, for example, on the new AirPods Max or Apple TV 4K HDR or its new Siri remote, which makes us wonder what the future of tech is. For a few generations now this chip is included in the iPhone, for example, where it serves, among other things, to be able to open our cars with one touch.
Given its timid, albeit growing, presence, and let alone future virtual or augmented reality glasses, a patent that received regulatory approval in the United States this week is striking. Entitled “Positioning systems for interactions of electronic devices with the environment”, the patent explores how the directionality of one device in reference to another can be used to improve the experience and change the way you interact.
Future augmented reality glasses would benefit greatly from this multi-device spatial awareness.
Apple analyzes how a device similar to a remote control, although in the patent it looks more like an iPod classic, can sign up to any of the devices in our house to interact with him. Generally speaking, you could say that a Siri remote, or equivalent, could control the volume of the TV if pointed at it and the volume of the stereo if that is the one we are targeting.
The detection of this directivity would be carried out by the chip U1, or even U2, which would make it possible to determine the angles with precision and to act accordingly. Such a system would also allow Apple display various information on the “controller” screen depending on where it is pointed, something that, without a doubt, can be very useful in the face of virtual or augmented reality glasses.
Patents like this, and a few others, give us some insight into how Apple is polishing and developing spatial awareness technology. A technology which already offers us interesting uses today and which, as it evolves and extends to more and more devices, will give even more of itself.
