This article originally appeared on ABACUS Smartwatches haven’t taken off as gaming devices, and it’s not hard to see why: Their tiny screens don’t leave a lot of room for virtual buttons. How can you play a game if you can’t even see it? Now one patent has revealed a possible solution to the problem -- but it comes from a company whose CEO once said he saw no future in smartwatches . Dutch site LetsGoDigital reports that Huawei has filed a patent for a smartwatch that lets users control the device a little like a traditional game console. How? By using the straps. The patent includes diagrams showing the watch held with a strap in each hand. Mechanical and touch sensors sense orientation, taps, even whether the strap is being pulled -- all translated into moves inside games. The obvious downside is that you’d have to actually take your watch off to play with it -- but another drawing shows how it could be used with the watch still on your wrist, with different fingers reaching across to different straps. Until now, games haven’t really been a top feature for smartwatches -- and they’ve largely been limited to brain teasers like Dot Rush and classics like Blackjack. ( There are a few examples of adventure games on smartwatches , but they are pretty limited). But gamers shouldn’t get too excited just yet. Tech companies apply for patents -- exclusive rights for a new way of doing something -- all the time, even when they might not bring that product or feature to market. Huawei itself applies for them several times a month . (That’s far behind the leader in the US -- IBM -- who averages 27.2 awarded patents each day .) Those who aren’t into gaming are also in luck. The patent also shows the technology being used as a virtual keyboard, as well as a zooming in and out of selfies. It even has a nifty copy and paste feature. To be sure, we won’t see console or even smartphone-level gaming on smartwatches in the near future. But with other players like Samsung proposing things like a wearable projector that lets you game using your palm , it’s possible a decent smartwatch gaming experience is on its way. Samsung Patent Tips Wearable Projector: https://t.co/33qiexEzFE #tech #samsung pic.twitter.com/BLHK1bNdpE — PCMag (@PCMag) May 16, 2016 For more insights into China tech, sign up for our tech newsletters , subscribe to our Inside China Tech podcast , and download the comprehensive 2019 China Internet Report . Also roam China Tech City , an award-winning interactive digital map at our sister site Abacus .
