Meta Reportedly Re-entering Wearables with 2026 Smartwatch
Meta is reportedly planning to launch a smartwatch in 2026, marking a renewed push into wearable hardware years after shelving its original plans. The move reflects a broader industry trend of integrating edge AI, advanced sensors, and real-time operating systems into personal consumer devices.
- Meta's original smartwatch, codenamed "Milan," was in development for over two years before being canceled in 2022 due to company-wide cost-cutting and technical challenges. The project was part of the Reality Labs division, which shifted its focus to developing augmented reality glasses. - A key feature of the "Milan" prototype was a detachable display with two cameras: a 5-megapixel front-facing camera for video calls and a 12-megapixel rear-facing camera for capturing photos and videos. The device was expected to retail for around $349 and have an 18-hour battery life. - The cancellation was partly driven by a hardware conflict where the dual-camera design interfered with the implementation of electromyography (EMG) sensors. Meta prioritized the EMG technology, acquired through the 2019 purchase of CTRL-Labs, for translating nerve signals from the wrist into digital commands for controlling AR devices. - The revived project, codenamed "Malibu 2," is expected to integrate a Meta AI assistant and health-tracking features. This aligns with a broader strategy to create an ecosystem of wearables that includes the successful Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. - This renewed push into wearables comes as Meta holds a dominant position in the smart glasses market, accounting for over 70% of global shipments in the first half of 2025. The smartwatch is seen as a companion device to its smart glasses and Quest VR headsets. - The company is concurrently developing other wearables, including mixed-reality glasses codenamed "Phoenix," which have been delayed to 2027, and AR glasses codenamed "Artemis," also planned for a 2027 release.
