According to BloombergAccording to reports, Apple no longer plans to release an Apple Watch with a camera. Apple had planned to develop Apple Watch and Apple Watch Ultra models with cameras that would allow users to see their surroundings, but those projects ended this week.
The camera in the Apple Watch was not originally designed to be used for functions such as FaceTime or taking photos, but instead allows Apple Watch users to obtain information about objects and places near them.
The Apple Watch might be able to do things like show the time when pointed at a restaurant or store, identify plants, describe objects, or provide language translation. The wearable camera feature works similarly to Visual Intelligence, an iPhone artificial intelligence feature that allows users to point the camera at an object to get more information.
Apple originally planned to release a camera-equipped Apple Watch model in 2027, but that plan has been shelved. Apple may reintroduce this technology in the future, and it is unclear why its development was terminated.
While Apple no longer plans to launch an Apple Watch with a built-in camera, it is still developing AirPods with tiny cameras built into them. The AirPods’ camera may be an infrared sensor, used to enable features such as enhanced spatial audio, mid-air gesture control, and AI.