Since its introduction in iOS 9.3, the Night Shift feature has been available for – theoretically, at least – helping iPhone and iPad users to more easily get to sleep. Furthermore, judging from a recent trademark filing, Apple could be about to extend it to the Mac, CarPlay and the Apple Watch.
Patently Apple reports that, this week, Apple applied to trademark the Night Shift name in both the United States and Hong Kong. The feature works by adjusting a device’s display colors to warmer hues once dark arrives, using either the clock and geolocation or manual settings to discern exactly when to activate.
In the US filing, the proposed coverage for the trademark is described simply as “computer software for controlling computer and mobile device display screens”. While this could be sufficient hint that Apple is readying Night Shift for the Mac, the Hong Kong application is even more revealing…
In detailing the coverage, that filing cites “motor vehicle audio apparatus” – a reference, it could be said, to Apple’s in-car software interface CarPlay – and “smartwatches”, a category the Apple Watch obviously falls into. “Computer hardware” and “laptop computers” are also mentioned, which strengthens evidence that Night Shift is set to reach the iMac and MacBook lines.
Expert opinion on the effectiveness of Night Shift suggests that it could prove far more worthwhile on Mac computers than the comparatively minuscule Apple Watch – as the larger display Night Shift is used for, the more blue light it can remove for the user’s benefit. In any case, it’s not out of the question that Apple could add Night Shift to coming beta builds of this fall’s macOS Sierra and watchOS 3.
