Facebook plans to release its first smartwatch in the summer of 2022. The device will feature a display with two cameras that can be detached from the wrist to take photos and videos, which can be shared across Facebook's suite of apps, including Instagram.
A camera on the front of the watch's display will make video calls, while a 1080p autofocus camera on the back can be used to shoot video when detached from the stainless steel frame on the wrist. According to sources, the social media giant is in talks with other companiesto create accessories to attach the camera part to things like backpacks.
The goal is to encourage smartwatch owners to use their devices in a similar way to smartphones. This is part of the company's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg,'s plan to build more consumer devices that will compete with Apple and Google, the two dominant mobile platform makers.
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Facebook's debut in smartwatches opens up yet another area of competition with Apple, at a time when the two tech giants are already at odds on other fronts.
Apple has aggressively positioned itself as a privacy advocate, limiting the kinds of data apps like Facebook can collect. That dynamic could create problems for Facebook in convincing people to buy a product that competes with the Apple Watch.
The company plans to market the watch as a fitness device, with a heart rate monitor. Facebook is also working with leading U.S. carriers to support LTE connectivity on the watch. This means it won't need to be connected to a phone to work. The smartwatch will come in white, black, and gold, and Facebook hopes to sell a six-figure number of units initially. It's worth noting that Apple sold 34 million smartwatches last year, according to Counterpoint Research.
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In future versions of the smartwatch, Facebook plans to offer it as a primary input device for its planned augmented reality (AR) glasses, which Zuckerberg believes will one day be as ubiquitous as cell phones. The company plans to use technology it acquired from CTRL Labs, a startup that has demonstrated wristbands capable of controlling a computer via wrist movements.
Facebook plans to release the first version of the smartwatch in the summer of 2022, and is already working on second and third generations for the next few years. Employees recently discussed pricing for the device, which will be around $400, but that could change. Facebook could also scrap the watch altogether — which is unlikely — as the device has yet to enter mass production or even receive an official name.
Facebook's track record in hardware isn't the best. Its 2013 phone in partnership with HTC was a flop, and it has yet to reveal sales figures for its Oculus VR headset or Portal, its home video chat device. In recent interviews, executives said sales of the Oculus Quest 2 have outpaced all previous Oculus headsets combined.
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Facebook's interest in making a smartwatch has been around for a few years. It was looking to acquire Fitbit in 2019, before Google stepped in and made the purchase. Since then, the social network has spent about $1 billion developing the first version of its watch and has hundreds of people working on the effort, according to insiders. The report previously said Facebook was building a "smart" watch with health and messaging features, but the information about the cameras and other details is new.
Using a customized version of Google's Android operating system, Facebook plans to rely on its suite of apps, as well as external partnerships, to create compelling experiences for the watch, which will include a companion app for phones. It now remains to be seen whether Facebook will be able to compete with Apple in the smartwatch space.
Source of information: theverge.com
