It’s no secret that Apple is already designing countless ways to equip its smartwatches with a camera. The iPhone maker has even revealed that it plans to integrate the camera directly onto the Watch Series crown. They now present another method that is more practical and can be made possible by a well-known feature of the iPhone or MacBook.
Unlike last year’s patent on an Apple Watch series with a camera in the crown, the latest patent was filed by the Cupertino firm (via Patent Apple) suggests placing the sensor between the watch and the wristband. With the new design, the camera can be used for FaceTime, recording biometric indicators such as heart rate, scanning documents or possibly taking a video or photo of the environment.
How Apple will design a watch with a camera
As described in the patent, the entire camera unit and microphone is placed in an extended housing of the Apple Watch. The part of the housing is noticeably slanted downwards. It will also house the connection that holds the tire just below it.
What’s interesting here is the angled position of the camera, which could lead to Apple using ultra-wide optics to cover a wider field of view. At the same time, this would allow the camera-equipped Apple Watch to capture frontal and upward environmental areas, as depicted in the related applications mentioned in the application.
Apple’s patent shows an integrated camera on an Apple Watch. / © Apple
Plus, Apple can accompany it with a similar continuity camera approach, turning the iPhone into a standalone webcam for MacBooks. For example, the feature gives users more flexible viewing options, including a desk view that shows what’s on top of your table despite the cameras facing forward in a different view.
Again, it’s unlikely we’ll be able to see this tech on an actual Apple Watch or Watch Ultra model anytime soon (review). Either way, this seems more feasible than Apple’s previous experiments. Likewise, would you consider buying one if this becomes a reality? Tell us, we’re listening.