Chalk this one up under ridiculous ideas that we don’t need right now.
What you need to know
- A patent has been discovered showing a mockup for a rollable smartwatch.
- The smartwatch would feature a camera in the center of the display.
- Images suggest users would watch movies on the device.
- Meta is also said to be working on a Facebook smartwatch with a camera for video calls.
Rollable smartphones aren’t really a thing quite yet, but it looks like Samsung might already have literal designs for another rollable device. LetsGoDigital, which likes to uncover outlandish tech patents, recently came across a filing that shows a unique take on a potential future Galaxy Watch.
The patent was filed with the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) and shows a smartwatch with a rollable display that expands outwards from the center. This would consist of two separate displays that act as one, not unlike what you see on the Microsoft Surface Duo 2.
The displays would expand outwards at the press of a button, increasing the screen size by 40%. Curiously, the images depict a video being played on the smartwatch, suggesting the extra screen real-estate might entice users to watch “Thor” from their wrist. Furthermore, a camera would sit at the center of the smartwatch, which would likely be used for video calls.
It’s a curious take on a smartwatch, mainly because we haven’t yet commercialized rollable smartphones. Not only that, but cameras on smartwatches aren’t exactly popular, nor is the idea of watching videos from your wrist (although there have been crazier things done on smartwatches).
Meta is reportedly toying with the idea of launching a Facebook smartwatch with a camera, and Samsung has previously thrown cameras on its earlier smartwatches. Plenty of the best smartwatches for kids also feature cameras.
Of course, the presence of a patent like this doesn’t necessarily mean that Samsung is actively developing the device. However, the company could be toying with the idea since we’ve heard the company is working on rollable smartphone displays, which we’ve seen in some shape or form in concept videos.
As it stands, the Galaxy Watch 4 has proven to be one of the best Android smartwatches, although the device doesn’t necessarily try too hard to be an Android smartphone. This patent suggests that the wearable is attempting to do the absolute most to blur the lines between a smartwatch and smartphone and could prove to be a hard sell.
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Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
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The best of Wear OS
The Galaxy Watch 4 is one of the best smartwatches money can buy, thanks to its fast Exynos chip, excellent OLED display, and great battery life. Plus, it will seamlessly connect to your Galaxy phone and has the added benefit of optional LTE.