Next-generation Apple Watch may feature a built-in camera

Recently, information about Apple’s plans for its smartwatches has emerged from a leaked patent application. The patent reveals that Apple has given significant thought to incorporating a camera into its Apple Watch.

The company has been granted a patent (US-11571048-B1) for a strap release mechanism for the Apple Watch, which could be used in conjunction with a built-in camera. This discovery, made by Patently Apple, describes a strap comprised of two segments and a “nest” section that facilitates the removal of the watch from the strap. This mechanism opens up new possibilities for the utilization of the Apple Watch, including the ability to capture photos with a built-in camera.

The patent filing includes visual depictions of utilizing the camera feature on the strap-less Apple Watch, as well as a cross-section of the device that showcases a bottom-facing camera and its field of view. The user can take a picture by simply removing the watch, holding the camera section, and capturing the photo.

Apple has a history of exploring camera-related patent designs for its Apple Watch. In the past, the company was granted a patent for a camera located within the digital crown and another patent from 2019 for a rotatable camera integrated into the end of a strap.

Apple’s recent patent application is consistent with the company’s ongoing investigation into camera capabilities for the Apple Watch. There is already a similar product, known as the Wristcam, which can be utilized as a third-party accessory for the device.

It is important to note that the filing of a patent by Apple does not necessarily imply the eventual release of an Apple Watch equipped with a camera. Rather, it serves as evidence of the company’s examination of various conceptual possibilities.