Recent patent filings offer a glimpse into the next generation of Apple Watch gestures, and the possibility of social distancing. Spoiler alert: The future of wearable tech may be in hot air. In a good way, that is.

According to the latest patent filed by Apple, it outlines a detailed system for "detecting striking events." Specifically, it states that Apple's gadget "based on a detected blow event ... . switch between different modes."

Originally discovered by Apple Insider, the patent reveals some interesting hints about the upcoming Apple Watch. Basically, you can carefully blow on your tiny watch to perform various functions, such as answering a call, pausing a song, or displaying a pop-up notification. In essence, this is 4D gesture control via exhalation.

Notably, Jiang Wang is listed as the inventor of this patent; Wang has worked on Apple's sensor technology in the past for both iOS and watchOS, giving the patent a bit of weight. (Nintendo used a microphone on the Nintendo DS to have users breathe into it to accomplish tasks in certain games.)

According to the patent itself, Apple is aiming for an "electronic device" with some sort of "blow detection assembly" to interpret commands. In essence, when one blows on the watch, the built-in pressure sensor detects the breath and the device reacts accordingly.

What exactly does that mean for iPhone users: let's say you're in the middle of a HIIT workout and you get a phone call. Your hands are filled with dumbbells and raw motivation. Well, what do you do, the pressure sensor in the Apple Watch activates the "answer phone call" command, allowing you to perform at your peak performance and productivity without disrupting your stride? (For example, one short breath can answer the call, and two blows can end the call. It's like a reverse whistle.) Because you can keep your gloves on during interactions in sub-zero "blow events."

This particular feature makes perfect sense in an oddly progressive sense in the age of COVID. And while smartwatches continue to get a lot of attention from jet-setters everywhere, gesture controls that make organic sense in everyday use are limited. While waiting for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, I was too impatient to wait, so just this past week I pulled the trigger on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3.

There seems to be a learning curve, as my fellow New Yorkers whisper oddly to their wrists between subway stations. Still, this is nothing short of mobile technology that can be leveraged to reinforce hygiene habits in a post-vaccination world.

Also, the screens of smartphones and smartwatches are full of germs and bacteria. According to one study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, screens are seven times dirtier than the average toilet seat. [As of this writing, 4.2 million people have been vaccinated in five boroughs, and President Biden's team is on track to vaccinate 100 million Americans by July. And to stave off the next pandemic, it is inevitable that we will need to rethink our daily health regimen as soon as we are allowed to socialize properly again. Bubble boy helmets have yet to penetrate, but I foresee a not-too-distant future where our society will remain vigilant about personal space even after COVID has been subdued. Handshakes and hugs are already beginning to feel archaic, and all things contactless will take over the world.