Apple Drives 70% Jump in Q1 2026 Edge AI Smartwatch Shipments

Q: As rivals launch new chips, is Apple's 90% reign over AI smartwatches already ending?

Not yet, but the erosion of Apple’s lead has likely begun. Apple’s 90% figure refers narrowly to **Edge AI-capable smartwatch shipments in Q1 2026**, not the entire smartwatch market. That lead was built on a real head start: Apple put a dedicated Neural Engine in the S9 watch chip back in 2023, and Counterpoint counts a watch as Edge AI-capable only if it has an NPU and actually runs health, safety or interaction features on-device. By that definition, many rivals were simply late. That is now changing. Huawei already has the Kirin W80 in market, Qualcomm launched the Snapdragon Wear Elite in June with a dedicated NPU, and Samsung is expected to use it in the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 this summer. Google is also preparing a Tensor-based wearable chip for the Pixel Watch 5 after current Pixel Watches were unable to support Gemini on-watch because they lack the required NPU hardware. The market backdrop also points to a more competitive phase. Edge AI penetration in smartwatches rose 70% year over year to 25% in Q1, and Counterpoint expects it to reach about 32% this year. As more brands add NPUs and software improves, Apple’s share of this segment is likely to fall from such an extreme level. Still, Apple remains well positioned. Its vertical integration, mature health features, and new watchOS 27 AI additions for Series 9-and-newer models give it a strong moat. So Apple’s reign is not over, but rivals now have the hardware to start chipping away at it.

3 articles · Updated · DIGITIMES · Jul 10

Q1 2026 shipments of smartwatches with edge AI features surged 70%, with Apple accounting for about 90% of the category, Counterpoint Research said.
Health and fitness use cases fueled the jump as on-device AI gave users deeper insights without relying on cloud processing.
Edge AI models reached 25% of the broader smartwatch market in the quarter, showing the feature is moving from niche to mainstream.
Apple's lead reflects its earlier rollout of a 4-core Neural Engine in the S9 chip in 2023, giving it a head start in on-device machine learning.

Sources

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DIGITIMES16h ago

Apple Drives 70% Surge in Edge AI Smartwatch Shipments in Q1 2026

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Apple Dominates Edge AI Smartwatch Market with 90% Share in Q1 2026

조선비즈20h ago

Edge AI smartwatch shipments jump 70% as Apple leads health-focused boom - CHOSUNBIZ

As rivals launch new chips, is Apple's 90% reign over AI smartwatches already ending?

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Apple Commands 90% of Edge AI Smartwatch Shipments in Q1 2026: Market Leadership, Regulatory Advances, and the Future of On-Device Health Tech

Overview

In Q1 2026, the smartwatch market saw a major shift as Edge AI devices made up 25% of all shipments, marking a new standard where artificial intelligence is processed locally on the device. Apple took an unrivaled lead in this space, setting itself apart as the dominant player. The industry is moving beyond just adding hardware, now focusing on software optimization and efficient AI models that work directly on the watch. This allows for faster responses, like instant health alerts and gesture controls, while keeping personal health data secure on the device. These changes highlight a new era of smarter, more private, and responsive smartwatches.

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