Apple Watch CAMERA, Really? What could it do?

Bloomberg’s Gurman usually gets decent, leaked information; the latest is that Apple plans to integrate a camera into the Apple Watch. There’s a good chance this will eventually happen, but what’s the point, and what value could it add? Let’s see…

When?

Apple Watch 10 recently included a remodelled screen. The Watch 10 screen will likely remain unchanged for two more iterations as that’s how component cycles typically work, meaning it won’t be until 2027 that a camera would appear integrated with a new display on Watch 13, if at all. Handily for Gurman, this date ties in with his prediction.

What Will It Do?

Gurman suggests the Apple Watch camera will not be used for FaceTime (video calls). Instead, it will enhance Apple Intelligence features, likely augmenting new functions currently absent from the Watch. The Apple Watch 10, for instance, currently only supports Connected AI, meaning it displays notifications from an iPhone rather than performing standalone AI tasks.

Challenges of a Wrist-Based Camera

A passive wrist-worn camera would be largely impractical. The natural motion of the wrist means the camera would rarely point steadily in a useful direction. There could be niche applications, like combining camera input with accelerometer data for motion tracking (e.g., analyzing a golf swing). Still, Apple is unlikely to focus on such specialized use cases as the reason for introducing a significant new hardware component.

Battery life is another concern—an always-on camera would be a constant drain, something Apple would want to avoid. Therefore, the camera is likelier to be an active feature that the user deliberately engages.

Potential Uses of an Apple Watch Camera

Here are some thoughts on how Artificial Intelligence could augment imagery in a watch format.

• Visual Intelligence

  • Scan and interpret objects, places, and QR codes—akin to a supercharged version of Google Lens.
  • Provide AI-driven contextual information, e.g. identifying a restaurant presenting a menu or a landmark and suggesting a trail.

• Augmented Reality (AR) Overlays

  • Display navigation cues, translations, or points of interest overlaid on the image presented on the watch screen.

  • Use pattern recognition to determine surroundings at a richer level than available on a digital map, e.g. a series of individual shops in a mall or types of trees in a forest.

• Situational Awareness & Smart Triggers

  • Detect environmental cues to trigger a smart stack widget or app function.

  • Adjust display settings or suggest actions based on location. e.g., automatically detecting a theatre or cinema to engage the appropriate mode.

• Fitness & Health Context

  • Combine camera input with motion sensors for enhanced tracking and analysis.

How Would It Be Integrated?

Integrating a camera into the Apple Watch display would be challenging.

Ignoring the size constraints, Apple might introduce a Dynamic Island-style cutout, but that would require most watch faces to be redesigned. Alternatively, the camera could be built into the case on a thicker Apple Watch Ultra model, possibly on the right side, as Gurman suggests. But then what if the Watch is worn on the other wrist? A: The camera points the wrong way.

Takeaway

At present, the Apple Watch has no AI and no camera. If those features are almost three years away, Apple must have earlier plans to add an AI co-processor to its existing S10 processor. It’s improbable both would be introduced simultaneously.

FaceTime is the most apparent use of a wrist camera, but Apple seems to be avoiding that route.

Instead, a Google Lens-style feature or an AI-enhanced overlay system (similar to Apple Vision Pro) seems more plausible. While many practical limitations exist, the potential for AI-powered object recognition and environmental awareness, deliberately triggered by the Watch owner, could make the Apple Watch camera an interesting addition.