Facebook Watch: Everything we know about the rumored Meta Watch

Facebook Scout: Everything nosotros know about the rumored Meta Scout

facebook/meta watch leaked design with camera notch on blue background

(Image credit: Bloomberg/Steve Moser)

Meta — the visitor formerly known as Facebook — has long said to be planning a smartwatch. It's a bold appetite, given the enduring popularity of the Apple Watch and other offerings from the likes of Samsung and Garmin, but it seems that the company does accept some truly innovative ideas to effort and distinguish the Facebook Smartwatch from most of the other devices on our list of the best smartwatches.

Putting aside the issue of whether people actually want Facebook on their wrist as well as their phones, the company has a mixed record when it comes to hardware. The Oculus Quest 2 is equitably a delinquent success, simply Facebook Portal less then. And while few volition call back the HTC ChaCha — a smartphone with a dedicated Facebook push button — those that do will call up that it inappreciably set the world alight.

Hither's everything we know about the Facebook Smartwatch so far.

Facebook Smartwatch design

Although the quality varies massively, in that location'southward very little material difference between i smartwatch and another at the moment. But suffice it to say Facebook is considering a major disruption in this respect.

We're apparently looking at a detachable brandish — something nosotros oasis't seen since the Fitbit Blaze. But while the long retired Fitbit allowed you lot to remove the trunk of the scout for charging, here information technology's for photographs and video. You can see how this might look in a patent diagram below, uncovered by GizChina.

Facebook smartwatch patent — (Image credit: GizChina)

According to The Verge's sources, the front end of the screen will have a basic camera for video calls from the wrist (with a notch, unfortunately), but removing the display from the case will reveal a 1080p automobile-focus photographic camera for both photos and video. The idea is for users to capture both snaps and footage of their daily adventures for easy sharing with Facebook, much like the company's recent glasses, Ray-Ban Stories.

This design also means that Meta is plain considering unconventional ways of wearing it when not on the wrist. Two inside sources take said that the company is discussing the camera with third parties, meaning it could be mounted like a GoPro.

One other more conventional item: manifestly the article of clothing is likely to come up in white, black or gold.

Facebook Smartwatch features

The curious thing about a design that seems entirely focused around photography and video capture is that the primeval report about a Facebook Smartwatch didn't even mention cameras.

Instead the report, from The Information, claimed that the spotter would exist focusing on messaging and heath. For the former, Facebook Messenger is said to be baked in, and for the latter, the company is obviously looking at the possibility of tie-ins with companies like Peloton.

Curiously, this early on study also said that the Facebook Smartwatch would not need a smartphone to run, with the company instead obviously talking to carriers about LTE support. While that may seem odd, given smartwatches' about useful feature is the delivery of notifications, this might at least make privacy-conscious users more inclined to give the Facebook Smartwatch a spin.

The spotter volition apparently run on a custom version of Android, but not Vesture OS. Though it'south claimed that this is only for the first version, with subsequent upgrades moving towards an operating organization developed past Meta itself.

Facebook Smartwatch possible release date and price

The first generation of Facebook Smartwatch is anticipated at some point in 2022, with a second-generation version possibly following in 2023.

The Verge's report says that the Facebook Smartwatch will exist in the $400 region, putting information technology, somewhat optimistically, firmly in Apple Watch territory.

Freelance contributor Alan has been writing about tech for over a decade, covering phones, drones and everything in betwixt. Previously Deputy Editor of tech site Alphr, his words are constitute all over the web and in the occasional magazine too. When not weighing up the pros and cons of the latest smartwatch, you'll probably notice him tackling his ever-growing games excess. Or, more likely, playing Spelunky for the millionth time.