A Meta wearable technology project thought to be canceled may be making a comeback. The company has apparently chosen a new manufacturing partner to make a Meta smartwatch, and its top feature may be at least one camera. A Meta smartwatch has been on-again-off-again for several years, and was last thought to be canceled in 2022, before rumors circulated in 2024 that it was working on such a product again.
Now, Meta may have partnered with Chinese manufacturing company Huaqin for the latest attempt at a smartwatch, according to industry news source DigiTimes Asia. Should the smartwatch reach production and be approved for launch, it may be revealed to the public during the Meta Connect conference in September, where the company talks about current and future innovations in software and hardware.
It should be noted this is currently just a rumor, and seeing as the project has been around for some time, it’s entirely possible it’ll be canceled again or we’re hearing about news linked to the canceled model. DigiTimes is a common source of leaks and rumors, but it has had a checkered past regarding reliability. However, the named partner makes some sense.
Huaqin is one of the top Original Design Manufacturers (ODM) in the world, and on its website, lists smartwatches and smart bands as part of its product manufacturing portfolio. It has worked with Samsung, Huawei, and Xiaomi amongst other top mobile names on both smartphones and smartwatches.
Putting a camera on your wrist, not your face
The original Meta smartwatch, codename Milan, was apparently in development for at least two years before being dropped. It reached the prototype stage, and leaked images spread in 2022 showed a device much like the Fitbit Versa range, but with a camera on the front and back of the main case. The case could be removed from the band, enabling the use of the rear camera, and integrated cellular connectivity hinted Meta intended Milan as a smartphone alternative.
Since then, Meta has released smartglasses in partnership with Ray-Ban and Oakley, along with continuing its line of Meta Quest virtual reality headsets. There’s evidence it’s working behind the scenes on new, and possibly related, wearable technology too. Meta-owned CTRL-labs recently published a paper on a wrist-worn bracelet which used neural signals to remotely control a computer.
If Meta has recommitted to a smartwatch with a camera onboard, it must be assumed it has done the research to show there’s an interest in such a product. The camera on the Ray-Ban Meta smartglasses is a desirable feature, not just for first-person stills and videos, but for visual search too. A camera on your wrist does not immediately sound as useful or fun. Previous smartwatches with cameras, such as the original Samsung Gear, did not lead to wide adoption of the feature.
Meta Connect 2025 is scheduled for September 17 and September 18, so we don’t have long to wait before we know for sure if Meta has renewed its interest in smartwatches or not.
