Whereas gadget patents don’t assure something, they’ll supply a glimpse into areas an organization is exploring. Earlier this week, Apple was granted a patent (US-11571048-B1) for an Apple Watch strap launch mechanism that would doubtlessly be used with a built-in digicam. That, by itself, is a neat concept, but it surely’s additionally the third camera-related Apple Watch patent we’ve seen in recent times. The patent utility was initially filed in 2019, so Apple engineers have clearly had wearable cameras on the mind for a while.

First noticed by Patently Apple, the patent’s summary and outline part element a strap with two segments and a “nest” portion. The idea was to create a fast and ergonomic method to pop the be careful of the strap.

That, in flip, may open up new methods to make use of the Apple Watch that aren’t restricted to the wrist — like, as said within the claims part, taking footage with a built-in digicam. Determine 3 within the patent illustrates an individual holding a strapless watch to take an image. Determine 4 then exhibits a cross part of an Apple Watch with a bottom-facing built-in digicam and its area of view. So, you’d basically come out the watch, maintain up the digicam portion, and snap an image.

As Patently Apple notes, this isn’t even the primary time Apple’s filed camera-related patents for the Apple Watch. Apple was granted one other patent final yr merely titled “Watch having a digicam.” It described a situation the place a digicam was positioned inside the digital crown, and one of many diagrams is principally an identical to determine 3 above. In 2019, Apple gained a patent for a rotatable digicam constructed into the tip of a strap. Notably, there’s already a third-party Apple Watch accent referred to as the Wristcam that features equally.

Clearly, this was an idea that somebody at Apple put a number of thought into. And there are reputable the explanation why a buyer may desire a smartwatch digicam. One of many large attracts of the Apple Watch is that it allows iPhone customers to spend much less time on their telephones — and doubtlessly even go away it behind when working errands, going for a stroll, or exercising. However who hasn’t been out and about and seen one thing they wished to take a pic of to ship to family and friends? With out your cellphone, you’d haven’t any proof. And, as they are saying, pics or it didn’t occur.

The extra dicey use case could be to discreetly snap an image or movie a recording. That — plus technological restrictions like dimension and battery — could also be why we haven’t seen many corporations discover this concept additional. As demonstrated by the unique Google Glass, the concept somebody could also be secretly recording you leaves many uncomfortable. (Although, Meta was rumored to be engaged on a smartwatch with not one however two cameras earlier than purportedly scrapping the thought.)

In any case, it bears repeating that patents aren’t a assure of something. Large Tech usually proactively recordsdata patents for concepts simply in case. It may very effectively be that Apple thought lengthy and onerous about cameras and determined in opposition to it, or there’s an opportunity {that a} future Apple Watch might need a built-in digicam. Both approach, it’s value noting that wearable cameras are one thing tech corporations are occupied with — and what which may imply for smartwatches sooner or later.