Facebook is developing a smartwatch, which it hopes will be used more like a smartphone, the Verge reported. The company is working with US mobile carriers to support LTE connectivity to the watch, so that it does not need to be paired with a phone to work.
The watch will feature a display with two cameras that can be detached from the wrist for taking pictures and videos that can be shared across Facebook’s suite of apps, including Instagram. The camera on the front of the watch display will be mainly for video calling, while a 1080p, auto-focus camera on the back will be used for making videos when detached from the stainless steel frame on the wrist. Facebook is cooperating with other companies to create accessories for attaching the camera hub to objects like backpacks, sources said.
The Information noted earlier that the watch will also be positioned as a fitness device with a heart rate monitor.
In the future, Facebook hopes it will in addition serve as a key input device for its planned augmented reality glasses, which CEO Mark Zuckerberg believes will be used as much as smartphones in the future. The company plans to use technology it acquired from CTRL-labs, a startup that has demonstrated armbands capable of controlling a computer through wrist movements.
Finally, the idea is to also develop hardware specifically for the wrist that circumvents Apple and Google. Zuckerberg plans to build more devices for people in the future, without the two dominant platforms.
The watch will come in white, black, and gold. Facebook is aiming for initial sales volumes in the low six figures. Release of the first version is planned for next summer; work has already started on second and third generations for after that. The price is estimated for the moment at around USD 400 but sources said this price point could change. The watch has not yet entered mass production or been given an official name.
