Meta’s Apple Watch rival is now on hiatus as company focuses on AR/VR

Last year, Meta reported that Meta was working on a new smartwatch with a built-in camera to compete with the Apple Watch. Now parent company Facebook has put development on this wearable on hold as it focuses on the metaverse.

According to Bloomberg, devices with Wi-Fi, built-in Spotify and GPS support have all been phased out, but Meta is still working on other wrist wearables, a person with knowledge of the matter said.

The device, which has been in development for at least two years, was designed to include several features common to other smartwatches, including activity tracking, music playback, and messaging. The prototype of the stopped device includes a dual camera, a key difference from market leaders like the Apple Watch. According to images and video of the prototype seen by Bloomberg, one camera was located under the display and the other on the back of the wearer’s wrist.

With the second camera, users removed the watch from the strap to quickly take pictures, but “the presence of the camera caused problems with another function of converting nerve signals from the wrist into digital commands.”

Unlike the Apple Watch, which focuses on fitness and wellness, the Meta smartwatch could be part of the future of the metaverse. “Meta touted the benefits of electromyography as a way to use the human hand as a ‘controller’ for other devices, including those focused on the metaverse,” according to Bloomberg.

In addition, the Apple Watch competitor will not have a normal app store. Instead, you will need a Facebook account to work with all possible applications. Some of the examples were Spotify, WhatsApp, Instagram, daily activity tracking, workouts, photo gallery, calendar and more.

The Apple Watch competitor was originally scheduled to release in 2023, priced at around $349.

Were you interested in a possible Apple Watch competitor from Meta? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Reading now