It seems like it’s time for Apple’s smartwatch to get one of its biggest-ever upgrades. That’s the latest rumour from tech guru and highly regarded Apple expert Mark Gurman, who says the US technology firm is working on a refreshed wearable that could include one major change that will help set it apart from its main Galaxy Watch rival.

According to the latest whispers, Apple is considering putting a camera inside the Apple Watch for the very first time. And no, it’s not for taking selfies or filming your next TikTik video as it might be being added in a bid to access smart AI features such as Visual Intelligence.

The small snapper, which could be placed next to the Digital Crown controller, would let the device see the world around it and offer users reverent information about where they are and what is nearby using a technology called Visual Intelligence.

This upgrade already appears on the latest iPhone 16 models with users able to point the camera at objects, places and even restaurants and get a full Google search result without typing anything into a search bar.

“On all iPhone 16 models, you can use visual intelligence to quickly learn more about the places and objects around you. With supported iPhone 16 models, just click and hold the Camera Control to do things like look up details about a restaurant or business; have text translated, summarised, or read aloud; identify plants and animals; and more,” Apple says on its website.

It will be interesting to see how this technology works on Apple Watch and when it is introduced. Gurman reckons it could arrive as soon as 2027.

This could be an important update for Apple, with recent research from Counterpoint saying that 7 percent fewer smartwatches were purchased in 2024.

It’s also claimed that shipments of the Apple Watch fell by 19 percent in the same period with a lack of changes and new design thought to be to blame.

“The biggest driver of the decline was North America, where the absence of the Ultra 3 and minimal feature upgrades in the S10 lineup led consumers to hold back purchases,” said Counterpoint, external senior research analyst Anshika Jain.

Some other manufacturers including Xiaomi and Samsung saw sales rise which is another reason why Apple will want to keep an eye on the market and make sure it keeps pace with its rivals.

This camera update could be just what Apple needs to boost things, just don’t expect to see it arrive on devices this year.