A new Apple patent filed in April 2021 and published Tuesday has revealed Apple’s ongoing investigation into an “underwater user interface” for iPhone that could power a future waterproof version of its most popular devices.
While Apple’s best Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Ultra 2, can be used as a dive computer at depths of up to 40 meters, Apple’s iPhone range, including the newest iPhone 15, remains merely “waterproof.” You can drop one in the bath, sink, or pool and keep using it with no trouble, but it doesn’t have any kind of “built-in” underwater functionality. Try actually using it at the bottom of the pool or in the waters of your bath, and you’ll have some issues.
