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Meta Smartwatch Could Replace Neural Wristband in Wearable Ecosystem
Meta is expected to launch its first smartwatch later this year. This smartwatch could be part of the company's larger strategy to expand its consumer hardware lineup beyond smartglasses and mixed-reality headsets.
Meta is reportedly planning to launch its first smartwatch later this year, signaling a new foray into the wearables space. This wearable device will likely emphasize the device's capabilities in terms of health tracking and may feature a Meta AI assistant. This smartwatch may be part of Meta's larger strategy to increase the number of devices that the company offers to consumers, aside from smart glasses and other mixed reality headsets. If released, the smartwatch will be Meta's foray into the crowded smartwatch market, and it will also represent the increasing trend of AI playing a key role in new fitness and lifestyle devices.
According to a report from The Information, Meta's alleged smartwatch project, codenamed Malibu 2, is expected to come alongside an updated version of Meta's Ray-Ban Display smartglasses. The publication suggests that these watches could play a role in Meta's larger wearable ecosystem, possibly replacing the neural wristband currently used for gesture control with Glass.
This will be a move to revive Meta's plans to develop smartwatches that were in the works earlier. The company had been working on a wrist-wearable device, with prototypes reportedly having as many as multiple cameras, but had to shelve the plans in 2022 due to technical issues and extensive cost-cutting measures in its Reality Labs division.
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Meta stated that it paused the global rollout of its Ray-Ban Display smartglasses due to high demand and limited supply. The report states that Glass shipments reached approximately six million units last year, based on industry estimates.
The publication also claims that Meta is reviewing its larger augmented reality and mixed-reality strategy. Several AR and MR devices are still in development, but the mixed-reality Glass project, known internally as Phoenix, has reportedly been delayed until 2027 as Meta wants to create a gap between product launches.
The smartwatch launch will position Meta in a crowded wearable market with Apple, Samsung, Google, Garmin, and Fitbit. It will also reflect a larger shift toward AI-enabled consumer devices, especially in the health and fitness sector.
