Apple fans are on their toes waiting for the new Apple Watch to roll out, and a few new patents might prove that the wait is nearing its end.
A second-generation smartwatch is awaited by many and rumors about the device have been permeating the media for some months now. Earlier in March, the company showcased some novel band designs and dropped $50 off the starting price for the device, making it more affordable than the previous edition.
After the discount, the Apple Watch Sport now sells for $299, down from the previous $349 price tag. As a reminder, the Apple Watch Sport is the base model in Apple Watch's lineup.
The price cuts are paving the way to the next-generation Apple smartwatch, and it will be interesting to see what the Apple Watch 2 brings to the table.
While we still have no official information regarding the Apple Watch 2, some hints can be found in Apple's recent patents, which show the general directions for the next edition of the wearable.
According to one patent filing, the Apple smartwatch could sport a camera, but the move is risky. Smartwatch cameras are either a big win or a big fail for manufacturers, and only a few of them got the feature right. Looking at the potential use cases, scanning bar codes or QR codes and FaceTime video calls come to mind.
Additionally, the patent says that the camera could be positioned on the front surface of the wearable, so that it will take pictures of the user, as well.
Take this information with a grain of salt, though, as the camera appears merely in a diagram from one of the newly filed Apple patents. This could mean that Apple is working on loading a camera on the next-gen smartwatch, but it is far from an official confirmation.
A second patent from the company, meanwhile, handles the ways in which the user interacts with the device. This means that alongside the crown and the right side button that are currently present on the Apple Watch, two additional buttons could be added to the left side of the smartwatch.
In the rendering showing the Apple Watch with the two new buttons, no camera is visible.
Keep in mind that all tech companies patent a lot of technologies that don't get to the final stages of product design, but it is good to see that Apple is working on further developing its wearable line.
We will keep our eyes peeled for new information about Apple Watch 2 and keep you posted as soon as we have some info.
