Do not expect to improvise a cinema session with your watch, the device simply allows you to broadcast on the back of your hand. It would still make viewing images and videos more comfortable than on the dial.
Samsung Galaxy connected watches have been very successful for several years, but to survive in this ultra-competitive market, wait-and-see is prohibited. Last find of the engineers of the Korean firm to distinguish a future Samsung Galaxy Watch? The integration of a video projector.
To project images or videos
If you know a little about Samsung’s liabilities, this eccentricity should bring back memories. About ten years ago, in 2012, the brand had already explored this path, at the time with a smartphone, via the Samsung Galaxy Beam.
According to a patent, the brand could do it again, this time with a watch. The illustrative image is sufficiently self-explanatory: the device projects an image onto the back of the wearer’s hand.
The description mentions the presence of a projection screen on a side part of the case. It is configured to display information on a display area adjacent to the housing. The projector would have several lenses and LED emitters aligned in an arc in two rows. The image could be projected from different angles to fit the shape of the hand.
The illustration represents a simple duplication of the screen of the watch. Nevertheless, it would be possible to disseminate other information, including images and videos: ” The projection screen may display different information than that displayed on the display module », Specifies the patent.
Given the projection surface, there is no question of improvising a cinema session with a group of friends using your watch. Nevertheless, this system could improve the comfort of viewing photos or videos, for example those received via messaging applications.
Samsung’s Arlesian?
Of course, filing a patent does not systematically lead to a functional prototype and even less to the marketing of a product. Especially since Samsung already filed a fairly similar patent for a watch in 2016.
As you can see from the images, the previous patent already concerned a projection. However, it was not limited to the display of images, but offered an external keyboard altogether. So it was a more complex system, capable of detecting gestures. In the same vein, Samsung had presented, during CES 2020, a smartphone technology called SelfieType. This was to allow users to type on the keyboard… without a keyboard.
A projection on the back of the hand from a watch is a much less complex technology to implement. In addition, we bet that it will appeal to some users, especially on watches with a small diameter. We’ll see if this idea finally comes to fruition.
Sources: GSMArena, Samsung, Wareable
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