As per the latest insights from market research firm Counterpoint Research, the first quarter of 2026 witnessed a remarkable 70% year-on-year surge in global shipments of smartwatches boasting Edge AI capabilities, achieving a market penetration rate of 25%. Apple emerged as the undisputed leader, commanding an approximate 90% share of these shipments. This translates to the fact that for every ten on-device AI smartwatches, nine hailed from Apple's stable. On-device AI smartwatches are essentially wearable gadgets outfitted with specialized neural network engines or NPUs, enabling them to execute machine learning inference tasks directly on the device itself, without relying on external servers.

Health and fitness monitoring functions have emerged as pivotal catalysts for the integration of on-device AI technology. This integration empowers devices to swiftly pinpoint health risks without the need to upload raw biometric data, thereby accelerating response times and fortifying user privacy safeguards. Looking ahead, it is anticipated that by the close of 2026, the market penetration rate of on-device AI smartwatches will escalate to approximately 32%, further solidifying their position in the wearable tech landscape.