Tag: FCC documents

  • New Nest Thermostat with Soil Radar Technology in Development

    New Nest Thermostat with Soil Radar Technology in Development

    A mysterious “wireless device” from Google recently surfaced in the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) documents, suggesting new application possibilities for Soli radar technology. This device features short-range 60GHz Soli radar technology, 802.11n Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity, and includes a base plate.

    A Mysterious Device with 60GHz Soli Radar Technology

    According to IT Home, Soli radar is a 60GHz mm-wave radar technology created by Google and Infineon for close-range perception tasks. Google is responsible for the signal processing and software components, while Infineon Technologies owns the intellectual property rights to the chip hardware. A similar product first emerged in 2016, with a second generation debuting in 2018, utilized in the Pixel 4’s gesture recognition module and the Nest Hub’s sleep monitoring feature.

    Through its developer program, Google has managed to introduce a series of innovative applications globally.

    Potential New Nest Thermostat

    ITHome speculates that the mysterious product might be a new Nest Thermostat. FCC documents indicate that the device lacks other radio modules apart from the 2.4GHz and 60GHz bands.

    The Nest Thermostat released in 2020 also only supports these two frequency bands and employs Soli radar to automatically illuminate the display when a user approaches. The device will likely need a constant power supply since there is no mention of a battery. It supports only 802.11n Wi-Fi on the 2.4GHz band, making it unlikely to be a smart speaker, as even the more affordable Nest Mini supports the 5GHz band.

    Possibility of a Smartwatch

    It could also be a smartwatch from Google, given that they don’t use the 5GHz band in this product category. For the Wi-Fi-only version of the watch, 2.4GHz, Bluetooth, and the new radar technology should suffice. However, the device will maintain a distance of at least 20 cm from the human body during normal use, making it unlikely to be a smartwatch and more akin to the Nest Thermostat released in 2020.

    New Nest Thermostat with Soil Radar Technology in Development
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  • Apple Watch Ultra prototype with dark ceramic back unveiled in FCC filings

    Apple Watch Ultra prototype with dark ceramic back unveiled in FCC filings

    Apple Explored Dark Ceramic Back for Apple Watch Ultra, FCC Documents Reveal

    Apple reportedly conducted experiments with a dark ceramic back for the Apple Watch Ultra, according to documents filed with the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

    Prototype Revealed in FCC Documents

    The FCC documents, discovered by @ParrotSWD on X/Twitter, indicate that Apple may have initially considered a darker color option for the smartwatch before ultimately choosing the current titanium finish. These documents were part of Apple's application for the Apple Watch Ultra, which was released in September 2022. They include images of a prototype that features a dark ceramic back, closely resembling the ceramic back found on previous Apple Watch Series models.

    Design Differences from Final Release

    One notable design difference in the prototype is the presence of a plastic-looking Action button with no indent. This deviates from the final release of the Apple Watch Ultra. The prototype images suggest that Apple was exploring various design elements for the smartwatch before finalizing its appearance.

    Expiration of Confidentiality Clause

    According to MacRumors, it is likely that the confidentiality clause associated with the FCC filings for the Apple Watch Ultra has recently expired. This expiration may have allowed the images of the dark ceramic prototype to surface now, providing a glimpse into Apple's design experimentation process.

    Current Offering of Apple Watch Ultra 2

    Apple currently offers the Apple Watch Ultra 2, which was released in September 2023, in the same natural titanium color as the first-generation model. Despite rumors prior to the launch of the Apple Watch Ultra 2 suggesting the possibility of a darker color option, this did not come to fruition.

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