BlackBerry‘s Wearable Gadget In The Offing; New Patent For Unlocking Smartphone Via Gadget, Bypassing Lock Code Acquired

With BlackBerry Passport's demand ascending, the company apparently has footed a new patent to its ever-bulging portfolio list. Apparently, BlackBerry has acquired the patent for unlocking the smartphone without a lock code, when a compatible wearable gadget is at a close proximity.

In hindsight, this particular feature was briefly discussed and demonstrated at Google's I/O 2014 event. Seemingly, this feature could be part of Google devices with the help of Android Wear. For those uninitiated, Android Wear is the search giant's operating system designed for smartwatches and other wearable gadgets. So what is the difference between Google's and BlackBerry's features? As it turns out, the difference is that BlackBerry's patent covers the stand-alone gadget with a physical clip, which should be closed in order to let the gadget to function, according to Phone Arena.

This minor detail is important because, the extra manual functioning i.e. closing the clip will make sure the handset is not unlocked unnecessarily, just because the wearable gadget was nearby. The same site points out a situation where the wearable gadget was resting on a nightstand and the smartphone happens to be placed nearby. Without the aforementioned manual intervention, the gadget will automatically unlock and give access to the handset, even though it was not intended. Therefore, the minor detail in this patent makes perfect sense.

However, the patent did not indicate if there is any wearable device at work in BlackBerry's development centre. Recently, the company's CEO also pointed out that BlackBerry fans can expect an unconventional device in the likes of the Passport once every year. Notably, the Passport comes with a unique square design with physical QWERTY keyboard that acts as a trackpad as well. With enterprise/business users still vouching for BlackBerry devices, the company could be looking to move ahead in gaining other users as well. According to reports, BlackBerry has nearly 27 new patents by the USPTO and the aforementioned feature is one of them, says Mobile Syrup.

With all the recent advancements and good news, mainly thanks to the Passport, BlackBerry may be working on a wearable gadget after all. What do you think of a BlackBerry Smartwatch? Feel free to leave a comment.

Also Read

1. Samsung Galaxy S5 vs. Samsung Galaxy Alpha - Find Out Which Is The Better Handset - [Read]

2. Xiaomi Redmi 1S vs. Sharp Aquos Crystal - Specifications, Features And Price Showdown - [Read]

3. Galaxy Note 4: Best Big-Screen Phone, Says Samsung; Analysts Believe Note 4 Unlikely To Beat iPhone 6 Plus [Watch Video] - [Read]