Newsletter
You’ve got to hand it Google, they’re always thinking about what to do next, and that something just might end up being a Google smartwatch. Thanks to the USPTO, we can see that Google has a fairly defined vision on what their smartwatch might look like, and how us users might interact with it. This isn’t the first time that we’ve seen Google file a patent for a smartwatch but, this is easily the best defined patent from them in some time.
For the most part, this is a pretty straightforward smartwatch design, the patent filing details that the watch will come with a processor, a battery as well as a UI for the user to interact with. Pretty standard stuff. What is a little different however, is that the patent filing details a touch-senstive wristband that could play a big part in how we might interact with the smartwatch itself. In the filing, there are gestures detailed as well, such as a pinch. Of course, there’s no telling just what these gestures would do but, they seem like a good idea on how to interact with a smartwatch.
It seems that everyone is working on a smartwatch, or at least the rumor mills of the internet would like you to believe as much. If Google were to get in on the whole smartwatch game, they should be able to bring something worthwhile to the table, after all they do know how to do wearable computing, as they’ve shown with Google Glass. Such a watch could easily integrate with Glass as well as Android and bring us notifications, and would end up as the perfect destination for Google Now. Imagine having train times appear on your watch when you ended up at the station, for instance?
More importantly than anything however, is that Google have taken action and patented this design now, before anyone else reveals their plans. Patents are ridiculous important in this day and age, with so many companies at each other’s throats over patent infringement, it’s good to see Google building a defense already.
[Source: USPTO]