Meta is once again preparing its first smartwatch for a debut later this year. The Apple Watch competitor will feature health-tracking and built-in Meta AI, reports The Information.
The smartwatch is the result of a revived smartwatch project cancelled by Meta back in 2022 as part of broader spending cuts at its Reality Labs hardware division.
The original smartwatch project reportedly had a detachable display with two built-in cameras for taking pictures and videos to share on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The watch was also said to boast a cellular connection and users would have been able to send messages to friends and family via messaging apps like WhatsApp and Messenger. Built-in health tracking features would have also been included, including a heart rate monitor.
The new watch is code-named “Malibu 2,” and could arrive at the same time as Meta’s updated Ray-Ban smart glasses. Meta last year unveiled its first-generation Ray-Ban Display AR glasses, which have proven popular with users. Those glasses use a neural wristband for its gestural interface, so the new smartwatch could possibly take over handling those controls.