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Tom's Guide

Smartwatches with cameras are about to make a comeback according to this new leak

A new leak has shown off some of the apparent specs for the first HMD smartwatches, the RUBBER 1 and the RUBBER 1S, including a surprising addition that would mark them as unique amongst even the best smartwatches. A recent post on X from Tipster @smashx_60 has revealed some of the specs for the upcoming HMD RUBBER 1 and the RUBBER 1S. According to the post, the RUBBER 1 will feature a 1.85-inch OLED display powered by a 400mAh battery, a Bluetooth 5.3 and NFC connection, as well as 5ATM water resistance alongside USB charging. Meanwhile, the RUBBER 1S will be lower-specced, with a 1.07-inch display, a 290mAh battery and only a 5.0 Bluetooth connection. However, the big addition mentioned in the post is that the RUBBER 1 will reportedly feature a 2MP camera built into the device. We don't have any indication of what the camera's exact function will be, but video calls and other functional uses seem a more sensible use than trying to take photos with such a small sensor. We have seen this kind of wearable before, namely from Samsung. In the mid-2010's Samsung released several wearable devices under the Samsung Galaxy Gear name, of which a few, like the Galaxy Gear and Galaxy Gear 2, featured an in-built camera. However, Samsung eventually dropped the feature and adapted the Gear Series into the Galaxy Watch line-up that we know today. The reasons that Samsung dropped the hardware are varied, but remain valid concerns that HMD needs to take into account. For instance, the cameras were notoriously hard to build around, and often ruined the seamless look of the watch. For instance, we noted that the Galaxy Gear's camera looked like a 'wart about to burst.' There are also a lot of privacy concerns about a camera being placed in such a small, innocuous device. Eventually, Samsung decided to focus more on fitness and replaced the built-in camera with a remote camera feature that connects to your phone. HMD, aiming to bring back the camera, does seem to fit its usual MO, namely, advocating for older ideas from a prior, quirkier era of technology. It's a novel choice, and might even draw in some customers who are looking for something a little bit different. Unfortunately, we have to take this leak with a large heaping of salt, as there has been no official word on this product existing until now. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.