Meta Plans 2026 Smartwatch With Meta AI Health Tracking

Meta Malibu 2 Smartwatch Report

Meta is reportedly planning to launch its first smartwatch in 2026, featuring health-tracking capabilities and Meta AI. The project, codenamed Malibu 2, is said to have been revived during a strategy meeting at Mark Zuckerberg's home in Hawaii, according to The Information, via The Verge. If true, the watch would mark Meta's entry into a crowded wearables market and would be paired with updates to Ray-Ban Display glasses as part of a broader wearable ecosystem.

The Malibu 2 watch is expected to debut in 2026, featuring health data tracking and Meta AIs, according to sources close to the project. The report suggests that this device will link into Meta’s overall wearable ecosystem and possibly supplant the neural wristband that is being used for gesture controls while using their glasses.

In this context, the smartwatch would be part of a strategy to expand consumer hardware beyond smart glasses and mixed-reality headsets.

The plan to revive the smartwatch project comes amid Meta's review of its wider AR and MR strategy. The Information says several AR and MR devices remain in development, but the mixed-reality glasses project known internally as Phoenix has reportedly been pushed back to 2027 as Meta spaces out product launches. A smartwatch launch, if it occurs this year, would place Meta in the same market as Apple, Samsung, Google, Garmin, and Fitbit, reflecting a broader industry move toward AI-enabled features in health and fitness devices.

Meta is also moving forward with updates to its Ray-Ban Display glasses. The Information reports that a new version, internally codenamed Hypernova 2, is planned for release later this year. The company is developing AR glasses that are expected to debut in 2027, according to the report. Shipments of Ray-Ban Display glasses climbed to nearly six million units last year, according to industry estimates, though Meta paused the global rollout due to demand and supply constraints. The eyewear updates and the smartwatch are described as part of a unified strategy to strengthen Meta's wearable ecosystem.

Analysts and people familiar with the matter note that a Meta smartwatch would be among several steps in Meta's broader effort to position AI-enabled devices at the center of consumer health and lifestyle tech. According to this report, Meta has yet to officially confirm the Malibu 2 smartwatch project; therefore, any timelines or specifications for the watch could change at any time as Meta is still finalizing their hardware roadmap. The first rumors regarding a Meta smartwatch were reported in 2021. Prototype(s) were leaked in 2022 only to be subsequently shelved in light of multiple technical difficulties and overall cost savings across Reality Labs. The present account indicates revival, but details remain scarce.

In short, the coming months could see Meta intensify its push into wearables with a smartwatch that integrates health-tracking and Meta AI features while expanding the Ray-Ban Display glasses family. If launched, the device would contribute to Meta's attempts to diversify hardware offerings beyond software and connectivity services.

Context for readers: a smartwatch from Meta would occur in a market dominated by several long-standing players and amid a general industry shift toward AI-first capabilities in fitness and lifestyle devices. The Information notes the Malibu 2 project was discussed in a high-level strategy setting at Zuckerberg's Hawaii residence, but no primary confirmation has been issued by Meta. The company has also previously held back or restricted their rollout of additional hardware products because of constraints in the amount of product available to meet demand, and this type of restriction may again impact any real launch schedule for their smartwatch or any related devices.

Looking forward, Meta appears to be planning on unveiling a newer version of its Ray-Ban Display glasses later this year, with an AR glass rollout planned for 2027. Together, these plans point toward a multi-device strategy to create a wearable ecosystem around multiple devices by Meta. If Meta were to launch a smartwatch, they would be the first entrant into a very competitive space and the way in which they position their AI capabilities across their devices could depend greatly on where they place their smartwatch.