How would you like a smartwatch with a notch on it? No this isn’t a hypothetical question, because such a device may well be on the way. All from the artist formerly known as Facebook, Meta.
A new leak (via Bloomberg) features a smartwatch design supposedly coming from Facebook/Meta in the near future. While the majority of the design isn’t particularly exciting, the built-in camera, and corresponding notch, does stand out.
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The picture was discovered by app developer Steve Mosser, who also uncovered some code about the watch inside the Ray-Ban Stories companion app — code that may indicate what the watch can do.
The images seemingly reveals that the Facebook smartwatch's design is a rounded square, not too dissimilar from an Apple Watch, with a metal casing and (presumably) detachable straps.
But that's not likely to make this watch stand out, because there are countless other wearables that look virtually identical. So the camera is likely to be the most unique feature; the only question is how it will be used.
According to Moser the code suggests that the camera may be able to capture photos and video, which can then be downloaded onto a linked phone. Bloomberg also posits that it could be used for video calling, and in essence become a portable version of Facebook's Portal range.
The Information reported earlier this year that Facebook is working on its own smartwatch, ready for relay sometime in mid-2022. According to a follow-up report from The Verge, the Facebook watch would include two cameras that can share photos and video via Facebook’s library of apps.
The front camera was said to be primarily for video calling, while the rear camera would supposedly offer auto-focus and 1080p resolution to take shots whenever it’s not being worn on your wrist. The Verge also claimed the watch could support LTE connectivity and feature a heart rate monitor.
As for the watch’s name, Bloomberg claims that it could be called ‘Milan’, though we wouldn’t be surprised if Facebook/Meta tried to work in Portal or Meta branding. Especially since the company is now rebranding some Oculus headsets as ‘Meta’ headsets.
However, the last one may be a bit trickier, since there's already been a smartwatch company called Meta. It’ll be interesting to see how that plays out, though no doubt Facebook/Meta, being the behemoth that it is, will get what it wants.
But whether the Meta watch can compete with the likes of the Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 or other wearables is unclear. Especially given the privacy concerns around Facebook/Meta.
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