Global shipments of Edge AI-enabled smartwatches increased 70% year-over-year in Q1 2026, with Apple accounting for nearly 90% of the total, according to a new report from Counterpoint Research. Here are the details:
Apple comfortably leads the Edge AI smartwatch market
Edge AI generally refers to processing AI tasks locally on the device, rather than sending data to the cloud for processing.
As AI models become smaller and more efficient, and hardware becomes increasingly optimized to run them, companies are bringing more AI-powered capabilities directly to their devices.
For the Apple Watch, this means using a built-in neural engine to process features like gestures, Siri requests, and some health and safety signals directly on the watch (and in some cases, the iPhone), rather than sending all the underlying data to the cloud for processing.
According to a report from Counterpoint Research released today, Apple has a significant lead over the competition when it comes to Edge AI-enabled smartwatches, accounting for approximately 9 out of 10 units shipped in Q1 2026.
Here’s how Counterpoint defined the Edge AI smartwatch.
Edge AI smartwatches are wearable devices with a dedicated neural engine or NPU that performs machine learning inference partially or completely on-device. To be eligible, at least one health, safety, or interaction feature primary inference path must be running locally on that accelerator.
According to the report, “Global Edge AI-enabled smartwatch shipments in Q1 2026 increased 70% year-over-year, with market penetration reaching 25%.” This means that one in four smartwatches shipped in Q1 2026 was an Edge AI device.
Perhaps more impressive is Counterpoint’s conclusion that “Apple alone accounted for approximately 90% of Edge AI smartwatch shipments in Q1 2026,” and that “shipments of smartwatches with blood pressure monitoring doubled and shipments of smartwatches with sleep apnea detection tripled” during this period.
Commenting on the report, Mohit Agrawal, Research Director at Counterpoint Research, said:
“Edge AI in smartwatches is moving from primarily hardware integration to one that also includes software optimization. The real unlock is smaller, more efficient models and OS-level access where any app can perform inference locally. AI needs to move from a single application to a personal layer that processes personal data, enabling instant health alerts, gesture control, and richer, more personalized experiences. penetration is expected to approach 32% in 2026.
Finally, this report looked more broadly at the increasing adoption of health features across smartwatches. From Q1 2025 to Q1 2026, blood pressure monitoring increased from 11% to 23% of shipments, sleep apnea detection increased from 5% to 18%, and ECG increased from 31% to 34%.
To read Counterpoint’s full report, click this link.
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