While Apple's AI train seems to be derailed with delays in launching the so-called "More Personalized Siri" and shaking up the leadership teams, the company reportedly has ambitious plans for AI wearables. We've already heard rumblings about Apple's plans to mount cameras on AirPods for AI-specific purposes, but the firm might have a similar plan for Apple Watches, too.
In his Power On weekly newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman writes that Apple is working on Apple Watch models with built-in cameras. The feature could allegedly "help the device see the outside world and use AI to deliver relevant information."
As Gurman says, the camera sensors will be added to both standard Series and Ultra watches, with standard Series watches getting the camera inside their display and Ultra models featuring side-mounted cameras near the crown and button.
If you're considering videoconferencing with your camera-equipped Apple Watch, it might not be a priority for Apple, and the new function will be limited to gathering information. Also, the alleged models are still a few generations away from hitting the market, but Gurman suggests they might see the light of day sometime in 2027.
Mounting a camera on an Apple Watch to deliver relevant information is still a vague concept, and the exact functionality remains in question. However, the camera sensors might help with applications like Activity and Maps. Meanwhile, the feature might raise privacy concerns if it's able to record videos.
However, Apple might have taken some notes from Humane's AI Pin. While the product eventually failed and the company was sold to HP, the AI Pin could foreshadow the camera-equipped Apple Watch. AI Pin landed with an ultra-wide 13-megapixel camera to let users capture moments and information. A camera on an Apple Watch could also be used for translating texts, similar to the iPhone's Live Text feature.
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