Meta revives smartwatch plans as it looks to expand wearables portfolio

Meta

• Meta plans to launch its first smartwatch with Meta AI in 2024
• The smartwatch will feature health tracking and AI capabilities
• Meta aims to compete with Apple, Samsung, and Google in wearables

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Meta is reportedly preparing to enter another corner of the wearables market, with plans to launch its first smartwatch later this year. According to a report from The Information, the company has revived an internal smartwatch project known as “Malibu 2”, which is expected to feature Meta AI and health tracking capabilities.

The move would mark a return to a product category Meta first explored several years ago. Back in 2021, the company was said to be developing a smartwatch based on an open-source version of Android, with early reports suggesting an unusually ambitious design. Those included claims of a detachable camera and even prototypes with up to three cameras, positioning the device as something more experimental than conventional fitness-focused smartwatches.

However, by 2022 the project was widely believed to have been put on hold. At the time, Meta was scaling back spending across parts of the business, particularly within Reality Labs, the division responsible for virtual reality, augmented reality and other long-term hardware bets. The smartwatch reportedly became a casualty of that wider retrenchment.

The Information says the pause came as Reality Labs faced mounting losses, leading Meta to reduce headcount and reassess priorities. In January, the company laid off more than 1,000 employees from the division as part of broader cost-cutting efforts. Speaking to investors during an earnings call, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company would concentrate its spending on glasses and wearables, signalling a narrower but more focused hardware strategy.

At present, Meta’s wearable lineup is centred on virtual reality headsets and smart glasses. Its Ray-Ban smart glasses, developed in partnership with EssilorLuxottica, have found a strong audience in the US and are often cited as one of Meta’s more successful hardware products. Beyond that, the company is said to be working on several augmented reality and mixed reality glasses, though most of these remain some years away from commercial release.

Earlier reports suggest Meta has pushed back its next mixed reality headset, internally codenamed “Phoenix”, to early 2027. That long timeline underlines why a smartwatch could make sense as a nearer-term addition, offering a more familiar form factor while still supporting Meta’s ambitions around AI-driven experiences and health data.

If launched, the smartwatch would place Meta in direct competition with established players such as Apple, Samsung and Google, all of which already tie wearables closely into broader software and services ecosystems. For Meta, the challenge will be to show how a smartwatch fits into its wider vision, complementing its glasses and headsets rather than feeling like a late entry into a crowded market.