Like many other smartwatches, the Apple Watch has a host of sensors inside it. However, one unexpected sensor that could have arrived is a camera, according to rumors. That said, a new Bloomberg report claims that Apple has ditched plans for an Apple Watch with a built-in camera.
Apple Watch with camera is a no-go
We have heard rumors that Apple is planning to include cameras in some of its wearables, like the Apple Watch and AirPods. This is less about taking photos with your smartwatch or earbuds. It’s more about using the cameras to act as a sensor for your surroundings. For instance, embedding cameras into the AirPods could allow users to use in-air gestures, similar to how users operate the Vision Pro.
It’s actually a pretty cool feature, but unfortunately, an Apple Watch with a built-in camera is no longer a thing. The Bloomberg report says, “The company had actively been working to release a camera-equipped Apple Watch and Apple Watch Ultra by 2027, but that work was shut down this week, according to the people familiar with the situation. The company continues to work on AirPods with cameras.”
The report doesn’t say why Apple is shelving its plans. Perhaps adding cameras makes the smartwatch bulkier or heavier. Or it could have been more expensive than customers are willing to pay for. Or maybe the potential use-case scenarios for a camera embedded into a smartwatch aren’t working out the way Apple is hoping.
Visual Intelligence on a smartwatch
It would have been interesting to see how Apple would frame the idea of an Apple Watch with cameras. Some have speculated that it could be used in a similar manner to Visual Intelligence on the iPhone.
This means that instead of users having to use their phones to look things up, their Apple Watch could do it. For example, if you use the Apple Watch as a navigation device, you can point the watch to a street sign, or it can passively look around while navigation is activated to give you more precise and accurate directions.
Right now, the Apple Watch is one of the most popular wearables in the world. However, it has gotten a bit stale. Each new generation doesn’t seem to offer a huge jump in improvements or new features. Adding a camera would have definitely shaken things up.
