Krux
February 21, 2026
Meta's Smartwatch Is Back: 2026 AI Wearable Incoming
Published: February 21, 2026 at 3:44 AM
Updated: February 21, 2026 at 3:44 AM
100-word summary
Meta is reviving its smartwatch ambitions with Malibu 2, slated for late 2026. The device will pack health tracking and a built-in Meta AI assistant, taking on the Apple Watch directly. This marks a comeback after Meta killed a similar project in 2022 during Reality Labs budget cuts. The smartwatch fits into Meta's broader wearables strategy, potentially syncing with its Ray-Ban smart glasses, which shipped nearly 6 million units in 2025. Meta hasn't officially commented. If successful, the AI-powered watch could anchor an ecosystem where your glasses, wrist, and phone work together seamlessly, pushing wearables beyond fitness into ambient computing.
What happened
Meta is reviving its smartwatch ambitions with Malibu 2, slated for late 2026. The device will pack health tracking and a built-in Meta AI assistant, taking on the Apple Watch directly. This marks a comeback after Meta killed a similar project in 2022 during Reality Labs budget cuts. The smartwatch fits into Meta's broader wearables strategy, potentially syncing with its Ray-Ban smart glasses, which shipped nearly 6 million units in 2025. Meta hasn't officially commented.
Why it matters
If successful, the AI-powered watch could anchor an ecosystem where your glasses, wrist, and phone work together seamlessly, pushing wearables beyond fitness into ambient computing.