Apple Watch Captures 90% of Edge AI Smartwatch Shipments

Apple accounted for roughly 90 percent of Edge AI-capable smartwatch shipments in the first quarter of 2026, according to Counterpoint Research. Smartwatches supporting on-device AI represented 25 percent of global shipments during the quarter, up 70 percent year over year.



Edge AI processes machine-learning tasks directly on a device rather than relying on a paired smartphone or remote server. Counterpoint classifies a smartwatch as Edge AI-capable when it includes a dedicated neural engine or neural processing unit and uses that hardware to run at least one health, safety, or interaction feature.


Health and fitness features remain the primary use for the technology. Counterpoint says shipments of smartwatches supporting blood pressure monitoring doubled from a year earlier, while shipments of models offering sleep apnea detection tripled. Wearable makers are also working toward more advanced metabolic health features, including glucose monitoring and diabetes-risk assessment.

Apple's lead dates back to the S9 chip introduced with the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in 2023. The chip added a four-core Neural Engine capable of processing machine-learning tasks on the watch, enabling features such as the Double Tap gesture and faster on-device Siri requests.

Other chipmakers are now expanding their wearable AI hardware. Huawei introduced its Kirin W80 wearable processor in 2025, while Qualcomm is preparing its Snapdragon Wear Elite platform. Google is also reportedly developing a Tensor-based chip for future wearables.

Apple Watch shipments rose 21 percent year over year during the first quarter, according to separate Counterpoint data, helping Apple maintain its lead in the broader smartwatch market as adoption of on-device AI accelerated.