According to reports over the past few years, Meta was not only building a smartwatch but also one with two cameras. Bloomberg claims that the project has been put on hold since Meta is now concentrating on other wearables.
According to the source, the long-rumored wristwatch was predicted to be an Apple Watch rival and was scheduled to go on sale in the spring of 2017 for about $349.
According to reports, a prototype included tools for activity tracking, calendaring, photo galleries, and heart rate monitoring. Its battery life is said to have been 18 hours.
There were apps for Spotify, Meta’s own WhatsApp, and Instagram Stories. According to reports, the prototype lacked a native app store. The plan was for you to control the device through your Facebook account. Naturally, you could have posted from the watch on Facebook and Instagram.
A replaceable watch face with two side buttons, one of which was a circular control (it’s unclear if this was an Apple Watch crown-style dial), and WiFi, GPS, and eSIM compatibility were also purported features of the device. It was rumored to have a 12-megapixel camera on the back and a 5-megapixel camera on the watch face. The latter was created to be functional without the watch face.
The arrangement of the second camera is said to have interfered with sensors that converted feedback from the wearer’s nerves into digital information, which is why it appears to have caused problems during development.
In order to operate avatars or interact with VR environments, the business has considered employing smartwatches as input devices for their version of the metaverse.
Along with technical difficulties, it appears that larger problems within Meta contributed to the gadget being delayed. According to a story from last month, the corporation has reportedly canceled some Meta Reality Labs projects in an effort to reduce costs. In recent weeks, Meta’s leadership team has also undergone changes.
However, the developers’ efforts on the dual-camera watch project might not have been in vain. Some of the characteristics seen in other wearables may be used by Meta. The project might perhaps be picked back up at a later time.
Additionally, Meta is rumored to have reduced its plans for augmented reality goggles. The business is no longer anticipated to deploy its first-generation augmented reality glasses in 2024, according to The Information. This particular device is reportedly intended for use as a demo item.
According to the article, Meta is instead concentrating on the second generation of AR glasses, so it might be a while before the product is available.
The report also claims that Meta would stop producing Portal devices for end users. According to reports, the company intends to develop the Portal smart screens into a line of commercially relevant products.
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