Samsung has filed a patent for a smartwatch with a second, flexible display on the rotary dial going around the outer edge. It would be the first display of its kind to be fitted to a watch, but since it is just a patent for now, we have to take the likelihood of it becoming real with a pinch of salt.

The display would be used to show small bits of information, such as the current weather, the song playing or the date, so it works in a similar fashion to the side display on Samsung's curved screen smartphones. Interestingly, the patent notes an upper and lower display, so Samsung may be looking to fit a lot of information into a small space.

However, fitting the rotary dial with a display could limit its use. On Samsung's current Gear smartwatches, the dial can rotate a full 360 degrees and is used to switch between apps. The rotary dial with a display can only rotate 90 degrees, and Samsung hasn't said in the patent if it will have the same app switching capabilities.

Further details and information regarding the display's use haven't been published just yet, and we're no closer to knowing if the watch and display will ever exist. Samsung filed the patent back in March 2016, so it's only been properly thought about for a year. It's an intriguing, if not slightly bonkers idea, but it's good to see Samsung looking at ways to innovate the smartwatch market.