Apple might be getting ready to rethink what a smartwatch can be—and the result looks like something straight out of a sci-fi flick or a kid’s toy box (depending on who you ask). A newly published patent shows the Cupertino giant toying with a foldable Apple Watch that doubles as a full-blown smartphone. Yes, really.
First filed in 2023 and just now unearthed by the USPTO, the patent sketches out a smartwatch with a flip-up display—basically an Apple Watch that transforms into a mini phone on your wrist. It’s equal parts fascinating and, well, a little ridiculous. Imagine strapping a Galaxy Z Flip to your arm, and you’re halfway there.
The design, credited to Apple’s Vladimir Krneta, includes a secondary display tucked inside the fold. The outer screen handles the basics—time, weather, health tracking—while the inner screen opens up to offer a larger canvas for browsing, gaming, video calls, or streaming. Apple even envisions a flexible screen that can rotate in different ways, along with two cameras: one for selfies and another for the world around you.
According to Apple’s filing, the idea is to let users “leave their smartphones for extended periods of time”—especially during workouts or recreational activities. It’s a compelling concept. We’ve all had those moments where we want to disconnect without being totally unreachable. A watch that replaces your phone could be the middle ground.
But let’s be honest: the current concept looks clunky. The mockups have a strong “walkie-talkie for kids” vibe, and it’s hard to picture it pairing well with, say, a suit or a night out. A more horizontal, sci-fi-style watch screen might make more sense than this flip-phone-on-your-wrist form factor.
Still, Apple files hundreds of patents every year—many never make it past the drawing board. But with Samsung poking fun at Apple’s lack of a foldable phone since launching the Galaxy Fold in 2019, it’s no surprise that Apple seems to be patenting every foldable form imaginable: foldable iPhones, foldable iPads, foldable MacBooks… and now, foldable watches.
Will this particular idea make it to market? Who knows. But it does suggest Apple is thinking beyond just catch-up in the foldables game. If the wearable-phone hybrid becomes a reality, it could redefine the role of the Apple Watch entirely.
Until then, we’ll just keep an eye on those patent filings—and maybe keep our wrists clear just in case.
via creativebloq
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