Meta plans a surprise return to smartwatches
Meta is reportedly reviving its smartwatch ambitions with an AI- and health-focused wearable code-named Malibu 2, slated for later this year alongside updated Ray-Ban Display glasses. The watch could replace the neural wristband currently used for gesture controls, putting Meta in direct contention with Apple and Google for wrist real estate.
Four years after shelving its original smartwatch project, Meta is ready to take another swing at your wrist.
According to The Information, Meta plans to launch a new smartwatch code-named Malibu 2 later this year, featuring health tracking and AI capabilities alongside an updated version of its Meta Ray-Ban Display smart glasses.
Replacing the neural wristband
Meta previously canceled its smartwatch plans in 2022 due to technical challenges and aggressive cost-cutting. Now it seems back on track, while its mixed-reality glasses code-named Phoenix have reportedly been pushed back to 2027 to streamline roadmaps.
The timing is notable. Meta launched its Ray-Ban Display glasses last year, seeing demand surge so quickly that it had to pause international rollouts. Those glasses currently rely on a specialized neural wristband for gesture controls, and the new smartwatch could potentially replace that wristband entirely.
Why it matters
We think Meta's smartwatch play is less about competing purely on fitness tracking and more about finding a friction-free input device for its smart glasses. Asking mainstream users to wear a single-purpose neural wristband is a hard sell; bundling those sensors into an everyday smartwatch makes a lot more sense.
However, wrist real estate is brutally competitive. Meta will be going head-to-head with Apple, Samsung, Google, and Garmin, while Apple is already rumored to be prepping its own AI smart glasses for next year. Unless Meta's gesture interface feels like pure magic, prying Apple Watch users away will be an uphill battle.
Sources (1)
- theverge.com(opens in a new tab)Originaltheverge.com