Meta Plans 2024 Launch for Malibu 2 Smartwatch
Photo by Hakim Menikh (unsplash.com/@grafiklink) on Unsplash
After shelving its first-generation wearable project in 2022, Meta is now preparing to launch its inaugural smartwatch, the Malibu 2, with a focus on health tracking and AI features as early as this year, according to a report from Latent Space.
Key Facts
- •Key company: Malibu 2
According to The Information, the device, internally code-named Malibu 2, is intended to launch alongside an updated version of the company’s Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses. The report, as covered by Latent Space, indicates this wearable strategy is proceeding as Meta has delayed its more ambitious mixed reality glasses, code-named Phoenix, until 2027 to streamline its augmented and mixed reality roadmap.
The Malibu 2 project represents a revival of Meta’s smartwatch ambitions after it shelved a first-generation wearable in 2022. As reported, that initial project was canceled due to a combination of significant technical challenges and broader company-wide cost-cutting measures at the time. The new device is being developed with a specific focus on health tracking capabilities and the integration of AI-powered features.
A key technical synergy exists between Meta’s smartwatch and its existing Ray-Ban smart glasses line. The current generation of Ray-Ban smart glasses relies on a separate neural wristband to interpret hand gestures for control. The development of the Malibu 2 smartwatch suggests a potential hardware consolidation, where the watch itself could assume the role of that neural input hub, eliminating the need for a dedicated band. This integration could provide a more seamless user experience for controlling Meta’s ecosystem of wearable devices.
Meta will face a highly competitive landscape upon the watch’s release. The Information’s report notes that the company would be competing directly for wrist real estate with established players including Apple, Google, Samsung, Garmin, and Fitbit. Furthermore, the competition extends into the broader wearable AI space; Apple is rumored to be developing its own AI-powered smart glasses that could launch as early as next year, positioning them as a potential rival to Meta’s Ray-Ban line.
The timing of the smartwatch launch follows what Meta has characterized as a successful initial rollout for its Ray-Ban Display smart glasses. The company previously stated that demand for the glasses was so high it had to pause their international launch due to "unprecedented demand and limited inventory," suggesting a strong market reception for its wearable technology.
Specific technical specifications, pricing, and an exact release date for the Malibu 2 smartwatch were not detailed in the reports.
Sources
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