Apple is believed to be looking at the “active camera” market, currently the home turf of GoPro, after it was awarded a US patent related to this sector.

According to reports, the patent relates to a digital camera system which can be managed by remote control. It is said to cite specific weaknesses of the GoPro proposition, such as issues related to vibration, sound recording and battery life.

However, it is unclear at this stage whether Apple intends to enter the market at all. The patent in question appears to originate from Eastman Kodak, the imaging company which sold off intellectual property in 2012.

Indeed, with Apple Watch set for a launch this year, it is unclear how much of an appetite the company will have to enter an uncertain market that already features an aggressive competitor in the shape of GoPro.

But Apple’s $3 billion acquisition of headphones maker Beats Electronics last year indicates that it is also not frightened to make bold moves.