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Apple Targets 2026 Launch for Smart Glasses, Shelves Smartwatch Camera Plans

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Apple is reportedly planning to launch smart glasses in late 2026, according to Bloomberg News, marking a renewed effort by the tech giant to expand its AI-focused wearable product lineup.

The company will begin mass-producing prototypes with overseas suppliers at the end of 2025, the report said, citing sources familiar with the matter. Apple has not commented on the development.

This move follows mixed reception for its $3,499 Vision Pro mixed-reality headset, which has faced slow adoption due to its high price and limited artificial intelligence capabilities.

Competing in the Facewear Market

The new Apple smart glasses would position the company to directly compete with Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, which have gained popularity for their integration of AI and social features. Unlike the Vision Pro, the new glasses are expected to be lighter, more affordable, and likely focused on AI-powered applications such as real-time translation, notifications, or camera assistance.

Apple Watch Camera Project Cancelled

In the same report, Bloomberg revealed Apple has shelved plans for a camera-equipped Apple Watch, which was expected to launch by 2027. The smartwatch would have included functionality to analyze its surroundings using AI and capture photos — a concept Apple has now decided to discontinue.

This reflects Apple’s shifting hardware strategy to focus on products that deliver more practical AI experiences without compromising on design, privacy, or battery life.

Apple Watch Sees Second Year of Shipment Decline Amid Stagnant Upgrades and No New Model: Report

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Apple Watch Shipments Dip Again Amid Lack of Innovation and Product Gaps

Apple is reportedly facing a continued decline in demand for its smartwatch lineup, with 2024 marking the second straight year of shrinking shipments. Market research indicates that one of the hardest-hit regions is North America—Apple’s largest market—where the drop in sales has been particularly steep. Analysts attribute this slump to a lack of new product launches and minimal upgrades in the current Apple Watch range, leaving consumers with little incentive to upgrade.

According to data from Counterpoint Research’s Global Smartwatch Shipment Tracker for Q4 2024, Apple Watch shipments fell by 19% year-over-year. This marks the fifth consecutive quarter of declining performance for the company in the wearables segment. While Apple’s shipment numbers slipped, several Chinese manufacturers gained momentum, closing the gap in the competitive global smartwatch market. Notably, Apple’s market share dropped by 8 percentage points over the past year, largely due to weakened performance in North America, which typically accounts for over half of its annual smartwatch sales.

A major reason behind this dip appears to be Apple’s subdued product strategy. The Apple Watch Series 10, launched last year, introduced only minor improvements, failing to generate enthusiasm among potential buyers. Furthermore, Apple skipped launching two key models—the Apple Watch SE (3rd Gen), a popular budget-friendly variant, and the Apple Watch Ultra 3, its premium flagship that contributes over 10% of the company’s smartwatch sales. The absence of these models left noticeable gaps in Apple’s product portfolio, affecting shipment volumes significantly.

Compounding the issue, Apple has also been navigating legal challenges related to the Watch’s health-tracking features. A patent dispute with medical tech firm Masimo over blood oxygen sensor technology led to a temporary sales halt in the U.S. To comply with legal rulings, Apple later disabled the SpO2 functionality on some models. These setbacks, combined with muted hardware changes and fewer product releases, appear to have weakened Apple’s grip on the smartwatch market, even as rivals step up innovation and affordability in the segment.

Apple Watch Series 10 Prototype Leak Shows New Unseen Health Sensor

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Apple Watch Series 10 Prototype Leak Reveals New Health Sensor Design

While the Apple Watch Series 10 launched last year with its new wide-angle OLED display, it didn’t introduce any groundbreaking health monitoring sensors. However, recent leaks of a purported Apple Watch Series 10 prototype have revealed something intriguing: a redesigned sensor layout with an additional, unidentified health sensor. This discovery hints that Apple may be preparing to incorporate new health features in future versions of the device, such as blood glucose and blood pressure monitoring.

The leaked images, shared by tipster @StellaFudge on X (formerly Twitter), show a prototype with the same text on the rear panel as the current Series 10 model. However, a key difference is immediately apparent in the sensor arrangement. The new prototype features sensors that are noticeably smaller and repositioned closer to the center of the watch’s rear panel. This change creates additional space, which is then occupied by a new light ring, suggesting the presence of a sensor not seen on the Series 10 released to the public.

The light ring could potentially be a sensor for new health-related functionalities that Apple has not yet revealed. While the tipster indicated that the default applications are missing on this prototype and the watch is running an unreleased version of watchOS 11, the presence of the light ring is a strong indication that Apple is experimenting with new types of health monitoring features that may be included in future Apple Watch models.

At this point, it remains unclear what specific function the new sensor will serve, as the prototype lacks the necessary software to fully activate or showcase its capabilities. Nonetheless, the leak fuels speculation that Apple is working on next-generation health monitoring tools, possibly aimed at tracking more complex health metrics like blood glucose and blood pressure—features that have been increasingly requested by users and health experts alike.