Meta may be getting ready to enter the smartwatch market for the first time, and the move could put the company in direct competition with Apple, Samsung, Google, Garmin, Fitbit, and other major wearable brands.
According to a report cited by Reuters, Meta is preparing to relaunch its smartwatch effort with a device reportedly planned for a possible debut by the end of 2026. The project is said to be known internally as “Malibu 2” and may include health tracking features along with a built-in Meta AI assistant.
That combination matters because smartwatches are no longer just small screens for checking notifications. They have become health trackers, fitness coaches, safety tools, payment devices, communication hubs, and increasingly, AI-powered personal assistants. If Meta enters this space seriously, it could use the smartwatch as another piece of its growing wearable ecosystem, alongside Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, Quest headsets, and future augmented reality devices.
The biggest question is not only whether Meta can build a smartwatch. The real question is whether Meta can make people trust it on their wrists, especially when health data, AI, privacy, and daily personal habits are involved.
Why Meta Wants a Smartwatch Now
Meta has already shown that it wants to move beyond phones and social media apps. The company has invested heavily in virtual reality, mixed reality, smart glasses, and artificial intelligence. Its Meta AI assistant is already part of its broader software push, while its Ray-Ban Meta glasses have helped the company prove that consumers may be open to AI-powered wearables when the product feels useful and stylish.
A smartwatch could fit naturally into that plan. Unlike smart glasses, which people may wear only in certain settings, a watch is already a familiar everyday device. People wear watches at work, at the gym, while sleeping, while commuting, and while exercising. That gives a smartwatch access to health signals and daily routines that phones and glasses may not capture as consistently.
Coverage from The Verge reported that Meta’s smartwatch is expected to include health tracking and AI capabilities, with a possible launch later in 2026. The report also connected the project to Meta’s larger hardware roadmap, including mixed reality glasses and updated smart glasses.
This suggests Meta may not see the smartwatch as a standalone gadget. It may see it as a control point for a larger AI and wearable ecosystem.
Health Tracking Could Be the Core Feature
For any modern smartwatch, health tracking is not optional. Users expect features like heart rate monitoring, step tracking, workout data, sleep insights, activity goals, and possibly stress-related measurements. Apple, Garmin, Fitbit, Samsung, and Google have trained consumers to see the wrist as a health dashboard.
If Meta wants to compete, it will likely need to offer reliable health and fitness features from day one. A watch that only delivers notifications and AI chat would probably not be enough in today’s market.
The wider health-tracking trend is already clear. A review published by the National Institutes of Health notes that smartwatches are increasingly used in healthcare and wellness because they can help monitor physical activity, heart rate, sleep, and other signals. This does not mean consumer watches replace doctors, but it does show why wearable health data has become important to users.
For Meta, health tracking could make the smartwatch useful even when people are not actively using Meta’s apps. A user may not open Facebook or Instagram every hour, but they may check steps, sleep, heart rate, or workout progress several times a day. That gives Meta a new type of daily engagement.
Built-In Meta AI Could Be the Big Difference
The most interesting part of the reported smartwatch is the AI assistant. A built-in Meta AI experience could make the device more than a health tracker. It could become a wrist-based assistant for quick questions, reminders, translations, message replies, workout coaching, calendar help, and smart-home control.
This is where Meta may try to stand out. Apple has Siri, Google has Gemini-powered services, Samsung has Galaxy AI integrations, and Amazon has Alexa. Meta needs a reason for users to consider another smartwatch in a crowded market. AI could be that reason, especially if it works quickly and feels useful in short, hands-free moments.
A wrist-based AI assistant could be helpful because watches are made for quick interactions. People do not want to type long prompts on a tiny screen. But they may want to ask a quick question, dictate a reply, summarize a notification, start a workout, check a health trend, or control another device.
The key will be execution. If Meta AI feels fast, natural, and practical, it could make the smartwatch feel different from existing options. If it feels like another chatbot squeezed onto a small display, it may not be enough.
The Watch Could Connect Meta’s Wearables Together
Meta already has smart glasses, and that is where the smartwatch could become more strategic. A watch can act as a companion device for glasses. It can provide controls, notifications, health data, gestures, and quick AI access without forcing users to pull out a phone.
According to Tom’s Guide, Meta’s reported smartwatch could potentially work with both Android and iOS smartphones, which would make it more flexible than some competing devices. The report also suggested that the watch could support Meta’s broader wearables strategy, especially alongside smart glasses.
That matters because Meta is trying to build an ecosystem where AI is available across devices. Glasses can see and hear the world. A watch can track the body and provide touch-based or gesture-based controls. A phone can handle bigger tasks. Together, these devices could create a more complete AI experience.
This is likely why Meta is interested in the wrist. The smartwatch is not just a fitness device. It could become a bridge between the user, their body, their phone, their glasses, and Meta’s AI services.
Meta Has Tried Smartwatches Before
This is not Meta’s first attempt at a smartwatch. The company previously explored smartwatch development years ago, including ideas that reportedly involved cameras. But that earlier effort was canceled in 2022 as Meta reduced costs in its Reality Labs division, according to Reuters.
The revival of the project suggests the company may now see better timing. AI is more central to consumer technology than it was a few years ago. Smart glasses are gaining attention. Health tracking remains popular. And the smartwatch market is mature enough that users already understand the category.
But that also makes the challenge harder. Meta is not entering an empty market. Apple dominates the iPhone-connected smartwatch space. Samsung and Google compete strongly on Android. Garmin owns a loyal fitness-focused audience. Fitbit remains familiar to many casual health trackers.
Meta will need more than brand recognition. It will need a clear reason for someone to choose its watch over established alternatives.
Privacy May Be Meta’s Biggest Obstacle
A Meta smartwatch would likely raise privacy questions immediately. Smartwatches can collect sensitive information, including health metrics, activity patterns, sleep data, location signals, heart rate trends, and daily routines. If AI is also built into the device, users may wonder how their data is processed, stored, and used.
This is especially important for Meta because the company has faced years of scrutiny over data privacy and targeted advertising. A smartwatch brings the company closer to the body than a social media app does. That makes transparency essential.
Meta would need to clearly explain what health data is collected, whether it is used for personalization, how it is protected, whether it is shared across Meta services, and what control users have. Without strong privacy messaging, some consumers may hesitate even if the hardware is impressive.
The Federal Trade Commission advises consumers to pay attention to app permissions, privacy settings, and how personal data is collected and shared. That advice becomes even more important when a device collects health-related or biometric information.
For Meta, trust may be just as important as battery life, design, or AI features.
Health Features Must Be Accurate Enough to Matter
Another challenge is accuracy. Smartwatch users often rely on health data to make daily decisions. They may use the watch to monitor workouts, sleep patterns, resting heart rate, stress trends, or activity levels. If the data feels unreliable, the product quickly loses credibility.
This is not easy. Even established smartwatch brands continue to refine sensors, algorithms, and health features. Different skin tones, wrist sizes, movement patterns, tattoos, sensor placement, and exercise types can affect readings.
Meta will need strong hardware and software calibration if it wants to compete in health tracking. A smartwatch can be fashionable, but health features need to be dependable. People may forgive a missed notification more easily than a poor sleep score, inaccurate workout tracking, or confusing health insight.
The company may also need to be careful with medical claims. Most consumer smartwatches are wellness tools, not replacements for professional medical devices. If Meta adds advanced health features, it will need to communicate clearly what the watch can and cannot do.
The Smartwatch Market Is Already Crowded
Meta’s timing is interesting because the smartwatch market is both mature and competitive. Apple Watch has strong integration with iPhone. Samsung Galaxy Watch works closely with Android and Galaxy phones. Google Pixel Watch connects with Fitbit services. Garmin appeals to runners, athletes, hikers, and endurance users. Oura has made health tracking fashionable through a ring instead of a watch.
That means Meta needs a unique angle. The obvious angle is AI. The second angle is cross-device wearable integration. The third angle may be social connection, since Meta owns WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, Facebook, and Threads.
A Meta smartwatch could become powerful if it handles communication well. Quick replies, voice messages, AI-generated message drafts, translation, call controls, and social notifications could all be useful. But Meta must avoid making the watch feel like a distraction machine. Many users already struggle with too many notifications.
The best version of a Meta smartwatch would help users manage information, not drown them in it.
What Users Might Expect
If Meta does launch the smartwatch, users will likely expect a modern design, strong battery life, reliable health tracking, fast AI responses, smooth phone compatibility, water resistance, fitness modes, sleep tracking, notifications, and good pricing.
Battery life could be especially important. AI features can be power-hungry, and smartwatches already have limited space for batteries. If Meta wants always-available AI, it will need to balance performance with daily usability.
Pricing will also matter. If Meta prices the watch too close to Apple or Garmin without matching their trust and ecosystem strength, adoption could be difficult. If it prices aggressively, it may attract users curious about AI wearables.
The company’s experience with Ray-Ban Meta glasses could help. Those glasses showed that Meta can create a wearable product that feels less like a tech experiment and more like something people may actually use. A smartwatch, however, will be judged against much more established competitors.
The Bottom Line
Meta’s reported first smartwatch could become one of the company’s most important hardware moves if it launches as expected. With health tracking and built-in Meta AI, the device could give Meta a stronger position in everyday wearables and help connect its larger ecosystem of glasses, phones, apps, and AI services.
The opportunity is real. Smartwatches are familiar, useful, and worn throughout the day. AI assistants are becoming more common. Health tracking remains one of the biggest reasons people buy wearables. A Meta watch could bring all of those trends together.
But the risks are also real. Meta must prove that its health tracking is useful, its AI is practical, its design is appealing, and its privacy protections are strong enough for a device worn on the body.
For now, the smartwatch remains reported rather than officially launched. But if Meta does bring “Malibu 2” to market, it could signal a major shift in the company’s hardware strategy. Meta may no longer be focused only on virtual reality or smart glasses. It may be trying to build a full AI-powered wearable ecosystem, with the wrist as its next big battleground.
