Behind the scenes, Meta was busy developing a true Apple Watch competitor. A Facebook smartwatch that had to not only match the success story, but exceed it. Trouble is, however, the product never had a chance to prove itself.
Today it becomes clear that Meta has abruptly put an end to the much-discussed project. You know that joke about Facebook’s Apple Watch killer? That one didn’t come…
Apple Watch competitor Facebook doesn’t see daylight
Last Friday, Meta, Facebook’s parent company, announced to its employees that the project is being scrapped. It comes as a result of the structural changes the company is facing, causing certain financial pots to shift.
The team within Meta that was responsible for Facebook’s Apple Watch competitor is working on another project as of now. Given its focus on the Metaverse and its recently released VR headset, the fact that the focus is there will surprise few people.
The new logo. (Image: EPA/Meta)
The first time we heard about a smartwatch from Meta/Facebook was in February 2021. The Apple Watch competitor would feature, among other things, a detachable screen and two different cameras. This should allow it to take photos and videos to be shared via the company’s services.
Meta had planned for the Apple Watch competitor to feature a mobile network and run on Google’s software.
The end of Portal
Meta, by the way, is not just ending the project around its smartwatch. The company also officially put a line through Facebook Portal last week. Not very surprising, as the various models that appeared on the market did not manage to cause much movement in the market.
Facebook Portal was a special brand created in 2018. It revolved around the production and development of smart displays. A bit like what Google does with its Nest Hub. Of course, with the focus around Meta services such as Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
Meta has been taking more rigorous choices lately, by the way. Just last Wednesday, for example, the company let go of 11,000 employees.