Huawei is currently working on a smartwatch that includes built-in Bluetooth earbuds, according to a patent published by the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) last month, which details how the smartwatch could possibly store the Bluetooth earbuds. The first method is to keep the earbuds inside containers located on both sides of the watch body. Inside the container, the earbuds are held in place with a closing cap and a release spring mechanism. To retrieve the earbuds from the watch, users only need to click on the cap, which then removes the cover of the container. The patent also mentions that the smartwatch can keep the earbuds in a container located on the underside of its band.
Huawei’s patent states that this design could also reduce the risk of accidents since users no longer need to wear the earbuds all the time, which results in improved awareness of the people’s surroundings. Moreover, the wireless earbuds also offer an active noise cancellation feature. This functionality improves the sound quality of the earbuds by reducing unwanted environmental sounds. The wireless earbuds that will be included with the smartwatch could be waterproof, and users should be able to easily control their call volume.
This is not the first time that the Chinese device maker incorporated Bluetooth earpieces into its wearables. Back in 2015, the company released a fitness tracker called the Huawei Talkband B2. This device also doubled as a Bluetooth earpiece. In order to function as an earpiece, users had to push the small buttons located on both sides of the device, which would detach the audio device from the band of the wearable. As is the case with all product design patents, there are no guarantees that Huawei’s latest concept will ever be commercialized. The company is also yet to announce a follow-up to its critically acclaimed Huawei Watch 2 released in April of 2017.
