Apple has just reignited the innovation race. Instead of chasing foldable iPhones like the rest of the industry, the tech giant now targets the wrist. According to newly uncovered patents, Apple plans to launch a foldable Apple Watch — and it’s unlike anything on the market.
The patent, published this week by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, reveals Apple’s vision. The design outlines a flexible, wraparound display that covers the entire watch band. This bold move could redefine what smartwatches look like — and how users interact with them.
The patent describes a display “continuously extending across a plurality of band segments.” In simple terms, the screen could bend and wrap fully around the user’s wrist. Unlike current smartwatches with a single face, this concept could turn the entire watch into a touch-sensitive display.
Display may shift and adapt to wrist movement
Apple doesn’t stop there. The documents show plans for “a flexible substrate and pixel array.” This technology could let the display shift and adapt to wrist movement without losing clarity or touch sensitivity.
This design offers a major advantage. Users could swipe through notifications, fitness stats, or music controls without raising their wrist. A seamless, 360-degree display creates new possibilities for customization, gesture control, and immersive interfaces.
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Samsung and other competitors have explored flexible display tech. However, Apple’s wrist-first strategy puts it ahead of the curve. While rumors have long focused on a foldable iPhone, this move shows Apple’s real innovation target may lie elsewhere.
Tech analysts believe this signals a shift in Apple’s wearable strategy. Instead of copying competitors, Apple seems to double down on pioneering design in a maturing product line. The Apple Watch, already the top-selling smartwatch worldwide, could leap ahead in both form and function.
Of course, patents don’t always lead to commercial products. But Apple’s track record shows that where there’s a patent, there’s often a prototype. And where there’s a prototype, there’s usually a product on the way.
Apple has not commented publicly on the foldable Watch patent. But insiders hint that testing may already be underway. If this becomes reality, Apple could once again reshape the tech landscape — this time, from your wrist.
