- Apple has come up with a mechanism that makes it quick and easy to detach the Apple Watch case to take photos
- There is nothing to confirm that the firm will equip the next models with a camera.
- But this addition could be useful for some smartwatch users
What if Apple integrated a camera on its next generation of Apple Watch? As usual, the firm does not talk about its future products. Nevertheless, it happens that we have an overview of his projects thanks to the patents published online. And precisely, recently, our colleagues from PetaPixel spotted one of these Apple patents, which concerns its connected watches. This patent describes a mechanism which would make it possible to easily detach the case from the bracelet, which remains attached to the user’s wrist.
© Apple
If, one day, Apple places a camera on the back of its Apple Watch, this mechanism would allow the user to easily detach the case (without removing the strap), to take photos with this back sensor. Moreover, according to the PetaPixel site, this is not the first time that Apple has imagined how it could integrate a camera into its Apple Watch. For example, a previous patent described an integration of this sensor on the crown.
Do we need a camera on the Apple Watch?
As usual, since this is only a patent, we cannot be sure that Apple will actually integrate a camera on its future connected watches. Indeed, the tech giants file a lot of patent applications, without necessarily using all the technologies described in these documents. Plus, Apple has plenty of good reasons for not including cameras on its watches.
First, the integration of a camera affects product design. And we know how important design is for the Cupertino company. Also, if a user has an iPhone in their pocket, they may prefer to use their smartphone and not their watch to take a photo. Finally, competitors have already tried to equip their watches with cameras, but it didn’t really win over the crowds.
Nevertheless, today, connected watches, including the Apple Watch, are increasingly autonomous. Thanks to the connection to mobile data and the integrated GPS, some models can be used even without a smartphone nearby. This allows, for example, a user to go jogging with their Apple Watch and without their iPhone. And in this specific scenario, if the user wants to take a photo, then a camera on the watch would come in handy.
