

While gadget patents don’t guarantee anything, they can offer a glimpse into areas a company is exploring. Earlier this week, Apple was [granted a patent](https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/11571048) (US-11571048-B1) for an Apple Watch strap release mechanism that could potentially be used with a built-in camera. That, on its own, is a neat idea, but it’s also the third camera-related Apple Watch patent we’ve seen in recent years. The patent application was originally filed in 2019, so Apple engineers have clearly had wearable cameras on the brain for some time.

[First spotted by _Patently Apple_](https://www.patentlyapple.com/2023/02/apple-wins-patent-for-an-apple-watch-with-a-built-in-camera-unique-band-system-that-allows-the-watch-to-easily-detach-to-ta.html), the patent’s abstract and description section detail a strap with two segments and a “nest” portion. The concept was to create a quick and ergonomic way to pop the watch out of the strap.

T...

