The next Apple Watch could integrate a camera after all

Rumors of the possibility for the next Apple Watch to integrate a camera have started since before the Apple Watch was even released. A patent filed September 11 2014 has recently resurfaces, catching the attention of a number of tech news sites, which describes what seems to be a fully-functioning, high definition camera, 2 millimeters in diameter.

While the microscopic camera sensor would be less than useful, or even necessary in an iPhone or an iPad, it’s very possible that Apple could be planning to integrate a camera into a future iteration of the Apple Watch.

The extremely small size of the sensor would blend into the Apple Watch original design, without the need for visual compromises, such as having a big blocky dot on the side of the watch.

There is no proof that the intended use for such tiny camera will include integration into the Apple Watch, however, as mentioned earlier, there is very little use for a camera that small in other Apple devices, unless Apple is working on a completely different wearable device for which a similar camera would have a purpose (iRing, perhaps?).

There are no clear specs on the actual resolution that can be expected from this camera, however the small spot size of the lens projecting against a curved photosensor, suggests high-quality images created using smaller pixels.

As with every patent, it’s no use to hold our breath over products that may never be released, except that in this case, the application of this particular invention seems to fit the Apple Watch particularly well, and there is a chance the Apple Watch 2, or at least a future iterations of the watch could incorporate a camera.