The new wearable might debut four years after Meta abandoned earlier smartwatch plans.
Meta is set to release a smartwatch with health monitoring and AI capabilities later this year, alongside an updated Meta Ray-Ban Display smart glasses, The Information reports. The smartwatch is expected before the mixed reality glasses, code-named Phoenix, which Meta has postponed until 2027 as it refines its AR and MR direction.
Meta had canceled an earlier smartwatch plan in 2022 due to technical hurdles and budget cuts. If the new device, code-named Malibu 2, is released, it will heighten competition with Apple, which is speculated to be developing AI smart glasses for a possible release next year, challenging Meta’s own. Meta will also compete with Google, Garmin, Samsung, and Fitbit for consumer attention on wristwear.
The Malibu 2 smartwatch builds on Meta’s Ray-Ban Display AR glasses launched last year, which were so popular that its global launch was paused due to “unprecedented demand and limited inventory.” The Ray-Ban Display glasses feature a neural wristband for gesture controls, potentially replaceable by a smartwatch.