Facebook could unveil new Apple Watch competitor by next summer: report
The tech giant plans to release the first version of the watch by summer 2022
Facebook could unveil a new smartwatch similar to the Apple Watch by next summer, according to reports.
The watch, which Facebook has yet to officially announce, will be a handy accessory for content-creating Facebook and Instagram users, as it will apparently feature two detachable cameras for taking photos and videos that can then be shared directly across Facebook-owned apps, as The Verge first reported.
A camera on the front of the watch will allow users to make video calls while a camera on the watch back will allow users to take photos and videos once detached, according to the outlet.
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"We’ve said we want AR glasses to be truly useful — we’re investing in technologies across the board that will make that interaction feel more natural and intuitive," Andrew Bosworth, vice president of Facebook Reality Labs, tweeted Wednesday. "This includes research like [electromyography], haptics, adaptive interfaces that could come together in a wrist-based form factor.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced in March that the company is developing augmented reality (AR) smart glasses.
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Facebook is reportedly working with various wireless carriers so that the watches can connect to wireless data so that it won't have to connect to a phone or WiFi to operate, according to The Verge.
The watch could come in white, black and gold, and the tech giant plans to release the first version by summer 2022, the outlet reported.
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The prospective watch news comes as Apple, Fitbit, Google, Samsung and smaller brands like Fossil and Garmin compete for best smartwatch. Tech product review website Tom's Guide ranked the Apple Watch 6 as the "best smartwatch" of 2021, followed by the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 and Fitbit Sense in a Monday review.
Facebook's fight to gain user trust while asking for a significant amount of personal data from those who use its apps may present a challenge to the tech giant to compete with Apple, which has made privacy a large part of its iOS 14 update.