It looks like Apple has submitted a patent that will enable an as-yet-unreleased Apple Pencil to be used as a game controller in VR, reports Patently Apple (opens in new tab). The patent details how a "Virtual character will be controlled with a variety of taps, twists, rolls, and other gestures." This could apply to a number of games on the Apple VR, and definitely sounds intriguing.
The patent further goes on to demonstrate a number of different sensors in the new Apple Pencil that would enable the control gestures. There are increased touch surfaces that rely on haptics and other movements to control different aspects of games, as it seems you'll be able to use the Apple Pencil to interact with physical objects in the game as well.
More Apple VR patents
The Apple Pencil control methods weren't the only thing in the latest patent. There's also more about gaze control, which will let you control games with your eye movements. This could be really exciting for racing games, or first-person games, where you could look around more and interact with objects in the game without moving around as much.
There are always Apple VR rumors, but as yet, any truly substantial news from Apple about the headset is yet to surface. It's looking more and more likely that there will be an Apple VR headset at some point soon, although what it looks like and how much it will cost are still unknown. Patents like this show that the Apple VR dream remains alive and well, albeit one that's not in our hands quite yet.
If you want to know more about Apple VR, then make sure you check out all the Apple VR rumors. Whatever happens, we can't wait to see what the headset looks like, and what this new patent means for games that we might play on it.
