Apple Takes on AI Wearables With Always-Listening Watch Features

(Bloomberg) -- Apple Inc. is adding artificial intelligence-powered audio features and other new capabilities to its devices, including its premium smartwatch, to take on a growing category of AI wearables.

The Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 models will have new Audio Intelligence tools, including Siri Recap, which uses ambient listening to take high-level notes of a wearer's conversations throughout the day, Apple said Wednesday at its product event in Cupertino, California. There is also Live Recap, which shows a transcription of what was said in a live conversation in the last 15 seconds. The watch will also be able to listen to important sounds, such as a crying baby, doorbells and sirens.

Users can choose whether to opt into each new audio feature. Apple said no recordings will be created or stored by the new capabilities. Rather, the raw audio is not accessible to Apple and other apps and will be immediately deleted after processing.

The new audio features will be available to test in English later this year. The improved Siri, which can answer questions based on users' texts, mail, calendars and photos, is being rolled out on watchOS 27 as a beta version on Sept. 14.

The updates will make Apple's smartwatch more competitive in a nascent product category of AI wearables, such as Amazon.com Inc.'s Bee wristband or Plaud Inc.'s note-taking devices, which let users record conversations, view transcriptions and AI-powered summaries.

The new watches will put an even greater emphasis on everyday health with improved heart rate tracking.

The $399 Apple Watch Series 12 comes in space gray, black, gold or dark bronze aluminum finishes and now has Ceramic Shield 2 cover glass that's 60% tougher, the company said. Natural and gold titanium models will be available, and Apple is also bringing back a ceramic case option in white and dark blue.

The $799 Apple Watch Ultra delivers as many as 50 hours of battery life, faster charging and new band options.

Both smartwatches include what Apple calls its new Health Sensing System. Tested against other wearables, Apple said its latest technology offers the "most accurate heart rate tracking in a wearable."