Apple was banking on this new feature for the future Apple Watch, but here's why it fell through

Apple was secretly working on a new feature for its smartwatch. The ambitious project could have revolutionized wrist usage. But it has just been abandoned, and for rather obvious reasons.

Smartwatches are evolving slowly, but surely. Each new version adds a few features related to health, fitness, or notifications. However, some manufacturers are still looking to surprise with bolder ideas. Adding a camera to an Apple Watch is one of them. It's a feature that has already been tested by smaller brands on other watches, without much success.

According to Bloomberg, in the same report that also discusses Apple's future smart glasses, the brand was actively working on an Apple Watch equipped with a camera, both for the classic model and the Ultra version. The goal wasn't to take selfies on the wrist, but rather to use the camera for visual recognition or environmental functions.

On the Apple Watch Ultra, the sensor would have been placed on the side of the case, near the digital crown. On the classic version, the camera would have been integrated under the screen. This project was planned for 2027, but it has just been abandoned.

Apple prefers to focus on health rather than gimmicky features for its smartwatch

The reasons for this abandonment are not detailed, but several hypotheses are circulating. A camera consumes a lot of energy, which could reduce the watch's already limited battery life. Other technical constraints, such as image quality or the complexity of use, could have made its operation unconvincing. Apple now seems to prioritize useful and concrete uses. However, the company continues its research on AirPods equipped with cameras, a potentially more suitable format. Rather than spreading itself too thin, Apple could return to the essentials: health. After notifications and sports, it is now medical monitoring that motivates the renewal. Body temperature, blood pressure, and blood sugar are the next expected functions. Faced with a drop in sales, the brand must convince users to upgrade to the next version. And a wrist camera was clearly not the solution. At this stage, user expectations are focused more on reliable and concrete functions, rather than on spectacular but not very useful options.