Apple Watch 2 to control iPhone 7’s alert volume automatically

Apple is rumoured to be working on a second generation model of the Apple Watch which was first released last year. The purported Apple Watch 2 is expected to arrive with a bunch of new features, with fresh speculations suggesting that it will be able to control the iPhone’s alert volume automatically.

Apple had filed a patent application with the title “Volume control for mobile device using a wireless device” with the U.S Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in September 2015, Apple Insider reported. The patent filing reveals that the said feature will be able to adjust the iPhone’s alert volume on the basis of the sound in the user's surroundings.

In order to adjust the iPhone’s volume, the inbuilt microphone of the Apple Watch 2 will record a sample of the iPhone’s ringtone. The microphone will continue to fetch data at regular intervals. By sensing the background noise, the Apple Watch 2 will be able to adjust the iPhone’s volume.

Such a feature can be very handy in environments where there is too much noise. In such conditions, the Apple Watch 2 will be able to raise the iPhone 7’s volume so users can hear their phones ringing or beeping over the noise. However, when the environment is silent, it will be able to reduce the volume of disturbing alerts and ringtones. It will also be able to reduce the sound of the vibrator motor of the smartphone.

This upcoming Apple Watch feature may also be helpful in improving speech recognition services like Siri. The voice-assistant will be able to better listen to the voice of the user in different kinds of environments.

Apple is expected to hold a launch on March 18 to announce the all new iPad Air 3 tablet and 4-inch iPhone 5se smartphone. The company is also expected to make an announcement about its smartwatch. However, it is not known whether it will announce a second generation Apple Watch. Speculations suggest that Apple may simply unleash newer straps and a software update for the original Apple Watch.