Apple is working to add cameras to the Apple Watch in the next two years to enable artificial intelligence features such as Apple Intelligence, according to a report Sunday from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
The company is currently considering the addition of cameras to its standard Series watches and Ultra models by 2027, according to Gurman, an Apple commentator with a reliable track record. The report comes as smartphone makers like Apple, Google and Samsung place a growing emphasis on AI features in their latest devices.
“The current idea is to put the camera inside the display of the Series version, like the front-facing lens on the iPhone,” Gurman wrote in his weekly newsletter. The camera lens on the Ultra would have a slightly different placement, sitting on the side of the watch near the crown and button, he wrote.
Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Apple Intelligence, which debuted with the iOS 18.1 update in October, offers a visual search tool that can help identify objects and places around you and surface any relevant information.
Gurman reported in December that Apple was exploring the possibility of adding temperature sensors and other physiological measurements to the AirPods. Both he and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also reported that Apple was working on adding infrared cameras to future AirPods by 2026.
The IR cameras could be used in multiple ways. The report details that they could be used for in-air hand gesture detection, work with devices like the Apple Vision Pro to enhance spatial audio or detect environmental changes for software including the new Apple Intelligence.
