One of the key things holding the Apple Watch back from being a true iPhone replacement device is its tiny screen.
Naturally, you can’t strap a smartphone-sized screen to the wrist: it would be awkward, uncomfortable and look ridiculous. But Apple seems to be exploring ways of making it work, as we can see from a patent surfaced by Patently Apple.
The patent, simply called “Wearable Electronic Device”, describes a screen that can be flipped open like a lid, to reveal a larger screen on the inside. Think of a miniaturized Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 for the wrist, and you’re on the right lines.
“In particular, the display can be folded to be compact, and the display can be extended when increased screen size is desired,” the patent text reads.
The patent contains several illustrations showcasing different implementations. While one appears to show two separate screens with their own distinct bezels (a bit like the doomed Microsoft Surface Duo 2), another shows the screen bending like the best foldables on the market.
As this is just a broad concept, Apple doesn’t seem wedded to any particular mechanism and even considers a sliding option in the text itself.
“A user may want the display to be extended when using certain applications, making phone/ video calls, playing games, browsing the web, etc.”, Apple explains.
“On the other hand, the user may want the display to be folded for convenience and portability, such as when the user is going about their day-to-day activities, outdoor activities, etc."
The video call use case is particularly interesting. While current Apple Watches support FaceTime, they only provide audio, because there’s no camera in the wearable. That’s presumably for privacy reasons, but a camera embedded in a screen that can only see anything when open would sidestep security worries rather elegantly.
Beyond FaceTime, this design would make the Apple Watch better suited “for use in more routine activities typically performed with a smartphone”.
Apple highlights a number of uses including “camera usage, web browsing, messaging, and interfacing social media.” While the idea of using the Apple Watch as a dedicated camera sounds a little awkward, it would be handy in a pinch.
Apple highlights a number of uses including “camera usage, web browsing, messaging, and interfacing social media.”
There are two important caveats to remember, however. Firstly, Apple patents hundreds of things every year, and only a fraction of these materialize in a commercially available product.
Secondly, even if a foldable Apple Watch does emerge at some point in the next few years, it will probably make the $799 Apple Watch Ultra 2 look like an impulse purchase. Foldable screens are pricey, and even more so when Apple is involved, with analysts predicting the iPhone Fold will come with a bigger price tag than the entry-level Mac Studio.
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