WRISTY BUSINESS

Leaked Google sketches reveal secret ‘spy watch’ with camera hidden under screen

GOOGLE has invented a smartwatch with a built-in camera hidden under the screen.

The "spy watch" gadget was revealed through leaked sketches penned by Google – and filed with a US design watchdog.

Google hasn't formally announced the device, but used a patent to secure the designs.

The patent was filed back in July 2017, and first spotted by tech site .

The sketches clearly show a smartwatch with a secret camera integrated below the smart-display.

The device is simply named 'Camera Watch', but gadget fans speculate that it may be the long-rumoured Google Pixel Watch.

Google has been reportedly working on a smartwatch for years, but has never released a product.

However, the firm did create a smartwatch operating system called Android Wear.

Sadly the only devices to ever use this Google OS were rival firms like Sony, Garmin and Fitbit.

But Google clearly has an ongoing interest in smartwatch design, as confirmed by this new patent.

Google event spent £32.8million earlier this year to acquire some of Fossil's smartwatch technology – and development staff, too.

The bad news is that Google hasn't confirmed that this product will ever launch.

Patents don't mean a product will be made – just that Google wants to lock down the design.

This could even be a way of preventing rivals from using the design without first paying Google.

It's also not exactly clear why anyone would want a camera on a smartwatch.

Gadget fans could use the camera for video-calling, but it would mean keeping your arm raised in the air.

It's also possible that a camera-watch could be used for sinister purposes – like taking secret snaps of people.

After all, the camera would be hidden beneath the display, making it less-than-obvious you were being spied on by a watch owner.

But the main drawback is that the camera would probably be terrible.

Cramming a camera into the tiny form of a smartwatch would mean using tiny sensors and lenses.

This would result in terrible image quality, and make the whole feature pointless.

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