Engadget has posted an image of a new watch-based device, patented by Google, which would perform many of the same functions.
While the drawing does not necessarily mean such a product is in the works for commercial release, it does hint at an intriguing new direction for the company’s move into wearable computing.
The device itself is explicitly titled “Smart-watch with user interface features” by the USPTO patent so there’s no beating around the bush, but it’s the extra little bits we’re interested in.
For example, the watch, displayed in the accompanying illustration, also has two touchpads on either side of the display face. The patent says that you’ll be able to use these to “pinch, stretch and scroll on a platform with limited space available for user input.”
Given what we’ve previously heard about Google’s foray into the smartwatch domain, it sounded like Mountain View was separating its smartwatch and Google Glass development teams. But this new discovery makes a crossover seem more likely than ever.
This actually isn’t the first time we stumble upon a smartwatch patent application granted to Google. Last year, the company received a patent for such a device with augmented reality features.
It’s all pretty vague at the moment – understandably. But with Google I/O coming up you might just be able to get into the wearable tech game before too long.
[Engadget, TechRadar]
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