Nokia Facet smartwatch patent and demo video leaks out

Sometimes we see products turn up in patent applications that look like they’re ready to go, with the full polish of commercial devices, and are just itching to hit retail. Then there are those devices that are certainly captivating, but seem more like good ideas for the future than necessarily anything ready to be released. Finally, there are those designs that just have us wondering “what were you thinking?” That last boat is one we’re in today, as we look at Nokia’s Facet smartwatch concept.

This first started getting attention when a Nokia patent application was uncovered, describing a “a multi-segment wearable accessory” – a smartwatch. That multi-segment bit refers to the use of an interconnected series of individual screens, rather than just the single screen and a strap that we’re used to – here, the chain of screens themselves act as the strap.

More interesting than that, the news of this patent application led to the discovery of the video you’ll see below, showing a demo of this tech in action. The clip dates from last year, and we don’t have any reason to necessarily believe that Nokia is still working on anything along this line (and the leak of a possible smartwatch strap sure doesn’t look too compatible with this design), but it’s still a fascinating glimpse into its R&D work.

Don’t get us wrong – it’s a neat idea and might turn into something worthwhile with some more refinement – but the idea of a bulky bracelet made of damage-prone displays doesn’t sound like a particularly lovely idea for a watch. Pocketnow

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