It seems Mark Zuckerberg’s U-turn is complete. Only two years after abruptly canceling its plans to launch a smartwatch due to technical difficulties and major cuts in the Reality Labs division, Meta (Meta) is preparing for a second attempt. According to a report by The Information, the company plans to launch a new smartwatch later this year, focusing on health monitoring capabilities and deep integration of artificial intelligence.
The watch, codenamed "Malibu 2," is not just another attempt to enter the saturated market of Apple, Samsung, and Garmin, but part of a much broader strategy. It is expected to hit the market alongside an updated version of the company’s successful Ray-Ban Display glasses. Currently, these glasses rely on a Neural Wristband to recognize hand gestures – a technology the new watch may fully replace, thereby becoming the user’s control center in Meta’s wearable ecosystem.
The decision to resurrect the watch comes in the wake of the surprising success of the latest-generation Ray-Ban glasses. Demand for the glasses was so high that Meta had to pause their international launch due to a shortage of stock. It appears the company realized that the public is ready for wearable products that are not just fashion accessories, but AI-based work tools.
However, Meta’s path will not be easy. Beyond the familiar competition with the Apple Watch, rumors suggest that Apple is also working on its own AI glasses expected to launch next year. On the other hand, Meta has chosen to slow down on another front: Its advanced mixed-reality glasses, called "Phoenix," have been pushed to 2027 as part of an effort to streamline the company’s roadmap and prevent launch overload.