There is nothing quite like exploring the different kinds of patents that companies have filed to see what kind of direction that they could possibly head in the future. Take Motorola for instance – it seems that they have a newly published patent application that point to a conceptual smartwatch device that has a display as well as a shell on the opposite end to flex in tandem with one another. The chassis itself would be pretty much similar to that of a metal watch band, consisting of links, and there will be grips located on each link that will be able to bend the display. On paper, it does sound like a pretty simple idea, something that might even see some of us go, “Man, why didn’t I think about that before?”
The thing is, this particular idea remains pretty much a patent that has been approved, and chances are we are very far from seeing an actual product roll out anytime soon. After all, Motorola would need to explore the world of flexible circuits before the world of bendable wearables are able to hit the mass consumer market. Bendable displays still have some ways to go before they end up as a common piece of technology found in consumer electronics.