Technology is advancing at a breakneck speed, which means that companies that want to stay put should plan years in advance, and not look at their feet. Patents can be useful in understanding companies' thinking process, although they do not necessarily indicate that a product is under development or that a company may produce it in the near future or not at all. In recent years, information has surfaced about Apple's possible plans for smartwatches. Apparently, Apple is seriously considering adding a camera to the Apple Watch. Here are some details.
Earlier this month, the Patent and Trademark Office granted Apple a patent for a camera-equipped smartwatch. The camera component has been placed on the underside of the watch, although its presence in this place seems irrational on the surface, as it is pointed directly to your wrist, but the patent describes a system that would make this usable in some scenarios.
The trick lies in the wrist strap, which will have two parts, the upper part with the watch itself, easily detachable from the lower part. So if you need to take a photo with your Apple Watch, you can easily detach it from your wrist, take the photo, and put the watch back on the wristband.
The summary and description section of the patent provides information on a two-section strap and a “Nest” area, the intent of this design being to create a quick and convenient way to remove the watch from the strap and put it back in with ease.
This isn't the first Apple patent describing a smartwatch with a built-in camera. In 2022, Apple was granted a similar patent, but in a more traditional way, as the camera was integrated into the digital crown of the watch. Apple also granted another similar patent in 2019.
As we mentioned, having a patent does not necessarily mean that the company will develop such devices, as they may remain locked up and not see the light.
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