Apple Watch is on the watch: Meta could be finally ready for its first smartwatch after years of stalling

We've been getting bits of information about Meta's smartwatch for years now. It's about time the Facebook and Instagram parent company got its act together and showed what they've come up with.

While Meta declined to comment publicly, two people familiar with the matter said that the company could bring back to life the "Malibu 2" project. Little is known about "Malibu 2", apart from claims about it being a health tracker (and not, say, a rugged outdoor or deep dive watch) with the obligatory built-in Meta AI assistant.

The "Malibu 2" – if that's the moniker Meta will stick to – is set for a release later in 2026. This means that soon, further rumors and detailed specs leaks should start popping up. We'll keep you posted, so stick around.

Some previous claims had it that Meta's smartwatch concept could include a detachable form factor intended for potential integration with other metaverse-oriented devices.

We also learned that the Meta smartwatch might come with a built-in camera, but this project was axed four years ago, when Meta tried to reduce costs in its Reality Labs unit.

Now, however, the AI boom might cause various wearable devices – including Meta's smartwatch – to materialize. The goal is for people to have a better, more detailed and fine-tuned health and fitness gadget at their disposal.

I'm personally convinced that this Meta smartwatch will work closely with the Meta Ray-Ban Display smart glasses. It makes sense for these two gadgets to complement each other.

And the glasses are really popular. Meta struggled to meet strong demand for the Ray-Ban Display glasses, which led the company to pause its planned international expansion. Markets including the UK, France, Italy, and Canada had originally been targeted for an early 2026 release, but those plans were deferred. The company stated that it prioritized fulfilling existing US orders, with waitlists already extending into 2026.

Rivalry is good

If Meta re-enters the smartwatch arena, the competitive implications could extend well beyond its own ecosystem. The wearable market in North America has long been dominated by the Apple Watch, which set the benchmark for health tracking, performance, and platform integration. A Meta-developed alternative, especially one tightly linked to AI services and smart glasses, would represent a new type of challenger rather than a traditional specs-based competitor.

The real challenge would not be about matching hardware, but about how the devices work together. If Meta managed to connect a smartwatch with its AI wearables, combining wrist controls with smart glasses, it could create new ways for users to interact with technology. These are areas Apple has not heavily focused on yet. That alone would likely keep Cupertino paying close attention.