Apple’s Futuristic Display Patent Could Finally Bring a Hidden Camera to Apple Watch

Apple is once again pushing the boundaries of tech design with a newly revised patent that could pave the way for under-display cameras on future iPhones and – more intriguingly – the Apple Watch. This innovation would allow a camera and flash to remain completely invisible until activated, making the devices sleeker and more futuristic than ever.

The patent, titled “Electronic devices with two-stage display”, outlines a method where two layered display technologies work together. The inner layer contains the pixels for normal viewing, while the outer layer acts as a light modulator that can reveal or conceal hardware like a camera or flash. When not in use, the camera is entirely hidden within the screen. When needed – say, for a FaceTime call – it seamlessly appears without disrupting the screen’s look.

This tech could apply across Apple’s ecosystem – iPhones, iPads, and even MacBooks – but the Apple Watch is at the heart of this concept. The smartwatch has long lacked a camera, limiting its communication capabilities. Apple seems ready to change that by developing a camera system that blends into the tiny display of the Watch without adding any bulk or compromising aesthetics.

Maintaining a minimalistic, compact design while incorporating this tech is the primary engineering challenge. Apple’s patent directly addresses current limitations of camera notches and bumps, describing them as visually intrusive and counter to the sleek aesthetic Apple is known for.

Although Apple previously explored a watch design with a hidden camera in the lid, this newly approved approach feels more seamless and integrated. That said, a patent approval doesn’t mean we’ll see the feature any time soon – or at all. Apple, like many tech giants, files many patents that never see the light of day.

Still, the idea of flicking your wrist to answer a video call without any visible camera sounds right out of sci-fi. If Apple pulls it off, it could completely transform how we view – and use – wearable tech.