By the trying glass: Apple was granted a brand new patent for a removable watch-based digital camera retention system earlier this week. The patent features a removable band design and a quick-release retention mechanism to assist a watch-based digital camera. Whereas there is not any assure it will likely be produced, the patent is sweet indication that Apple is actively trying to ship new options for his or her watch-wearing followers.
Issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Workplace on February 7, the brand new patent (US-11571048-B1) focuses particularly on a strap-based, quick-release system that permits for handy entry to an built-in watch-based digital camera.
Primarily based on the patent data, the retention system might give customers the choice to rapidly and simply take away the watch face, seize photographs from a bottom-facing digital camera, after which simply substitute the gadget again within the unique place. The data was first reported by Patently Apple…
This new strap-based system is hardly Apple’s first try at patenting watch-based digital camera performance. In 2019, the corporate was awarded US-10331083-B1 for a watch band with an built-in, versatile optical sensor. If made accessible, this rotatable digital camera would permitting photographs to be taken with out the necessity to take away the watch from the person’s wrist.
Apple would not be the primary firm to convey small-form digital camera expertise to wearable units both. Samsung tried to normalize the wearable digital camera idea with the Galaxy Gear’s preliminary launch in September 2013. Nevertheless, the gadget was rapidly overshadowed by the Apple Watch and customers weren’t wowed by the Galaxy’s built-in 1.9MP digital camera.
Whereas a high-quality embedded digital camera might have sensible use for some, it does elevate potential privateness and safety issues for others.
The flexibility to seize photographs covertly by eradicating the necessity for a bigger, handheld digital camera or telephone opens the door to something from secret, unauthorized, and compromising photographs to elevated danger of company espionage. The embedded cameras would require a brand new stage of safety and consciousness to make sure they weren’t improperly utilized in areas similar to faculties, locker rooms, restrooms, or in areas the place confidential paperwork and knowledge are prone to being captured.
The prevalence of expertise like embedded cameras in wearable units locations much more emphasis on the enforcement of legal guidelines and acts such because the Video Voyeurism Prevention Act. The act, which protects people from being recorded in non-public areas with out their consent, is the kind of safety that’s integral to making sure applied sciences like watch-based cameras are made accessible for accountable customers whereas offering protections for potential victims of misuse.
Picture credit score: David Švihovec