Samsung has registered a patent that points to a wearable featuring a camera with an optical zoom and a digital watch strap.
Russian news outfit 3D News reports that the filing was made with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in November 2016 but has only just been published. (H/T SamMobile).
The patent shows a watch that features a camera lens protruding from the display of the wearable to provide optical zoom functionality. It appears to take up the centre of the watch display, with application icons surrounding the lens.
Samsung hasn't been shy about showing the world it's working on flexible displays, with the company reportedly demonstrating screens that would make Stretch Armstrong feel intimidated this week at the SID (Society for Information Display) show in LA.
The patent here seems to suggest the company is experimenting with creating a digital watch strap with this technology – the images seem to show the strap giving users access to their favourite apps right from the wrist band, similar to how the edge-to-edge display works on phones like the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus.
It is worth noting that this is just a patent and that tech giants like Samsung toy with ideas like this all the time. Not every patent makes its way into consumer product, but we're hoping to hear more about this one in the near future.
