Leaked Photo Shows Meta's Planned Competitor To Apple Watch (bloomberg.com) 28
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Bloomberg: Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook, is developing a smartwatch with a front-facing camera and rounded screen, according to an image of the device found inside one of the tech giant's iPhone apps. The photo shows a watch with a screen and casing that's slightly curved at the edges. The front-facing camera -- similar to what you'd see on a smartphone -- appears at the bottom of the display, and there's a control button for the watch on the right side. The image was found inside of the company's app for controlling its new smart glasses launched in partnership with Ray-Ban. The picture was located by app developer Steve Moser and shared with Bloomberg News.
The watch has a detachable wrist strap and what appears to be a button at the top of the watch case. Its large display mimics the style of Apple's watch -- rather than the more basic fitness trackers sold by Google's Fitbit and Garmin. The camera suggests the product will likely be used for videoconferencing, a feature that would make Meta's device stand out. Apple's smartwatch doesn't have a camera, nor do rival products from companies such as Samsung. Facebook has been planning to launch its first watch as early as 2022, but a final decision on timing hasn't been made yet and the debut could be later, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. The company is working on three generations of the product aimed at different release time frames, the person said. The device in the image could ultimately represent a version that is never released, but it's the first evidence of the company's work on the project. Not only does the code inside the software of the watch indicate it'll work with iOS and Android devices, but it may also be used as an input device or accessory for the company's VR and AR headsets.
The watch has a detachable wrist strap and what appears to be a button at the top of the watch case. Its large display mimics the style of Apple's watch -- rather than the more basic fitness trackers sold by Google's Fitbit and Garmin. The camera suggests the product will likely be used for videoconferencing, a feature that would make Meta's device stand out. Apple's smartwatch doesn't have a camera, nor do rival products from companies such as Samsung. Facebook has been planning to launch its first watch as early as 2022, but a final decision on timing hasn't been made yet and the debut could be later, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. The company is working on three generations of the product aimed at different release time frames, the person said. The device in the image could ultimately represent a version that is never released, but it's the first evidence of the company's work on the project. Not only does the code inside the software of the watch indicate it'll work with iOS and Android devices, but it may also be used as an input device or accessory for the company's VR and AR headsets.
Facebook who? (Score:3)
Idk what you're on about. I'm with Meta (and this narly smart watch).
Re:Facebook who? (Score:4, Insightful)
Second coming of the glasshole.
Re: (Score:3)
Will it squirt the social? (Score:2)
And come in zune brown ?
Re: (Score:2)
Sure, and scented with cowpie.
Re:Facebook who? (Score:5, Insightful)
A stylish wrist watch for the discerning gentleman who looks at the Apple smartwatch and thinks "This multinational isn't invading my privacy enough!"
I'm sure a camera on a watch is fully safe. (Score:2)
That's because we all want to be like Dick Tracy (hint: Old comic character).
No corporate banning of such a device will happen.
There will be no privacy issues.
And gosh, it's for Facebook kitty posts, right? Right??
It'll be your entry into the Meta-verse, I'm sure.
Re: (Score:2)
Right, we like to imagine ourselves Dick Tracy rather than Mark the Dick.
Re: (Score:2)
Well, it's not so far off, I at least will consider people wearing this thing dicks.
Mee too (Score:2)
Facebook?
Fapping (Score:3)
"Meta" (Score:2)
Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook
In my heart, they'll always be known as "Privacy Rapists Inc."
Re:"Meta" (Score:5, Informative)
All the information is given willingly to facebook...
No it ain't. Have you ever wondered what those little Facebook buttons on every webpage you visit (including this one) actually do? They track you even when you have no Facebook account by the simple act of you loading the page. Even plain HTML pages that don't have buttons still have hidden Facebook tracking tags embedded in them. That is just one way they track your online activities. Their ads, their various 'free' services and tools embedded on web pages, Facebook Pixel, they are all used to track your activities and all of it is fed back to Facebook unless you have fortified your browser against it which at best ... limits ... Facebook's ability to track you and does not do much to hurt the efforts of all the other Corporations out there that are also tracking your activities using the exact same methods. Do you recall willingly allowing Facebook to track what you do on this page with their monitoring tools? There is no place you can escape those fuckers even if you are 'unwilling to provide them with information'.
Re: (Score:3)
Really? All the people in the pictures that some bozos upload to that trashheap consented of being profiled for their association? When exactly did I consent to having my browsing habits profiled and collected because some pages stuck a tracker onto them without me even having a chance to tell them to go fuck themselves unless I take extra steps to not load that crap?
At this point it's virtually impossible to avoid being tracked by this pest.
a Facebook controlled camera... (Score:5, Insightful)
Think I'll pass on that.
Re: (Score:2)
Yeah. All the cool kids put their facebook controlled cameras in their pants pockets. Or at least we used to before phone companies went off the rails with their sizes.
Re:a Facebook controlled camera... (Score:4, Interesting)
You probably won't have a choice - you probably won't have to strap it to your arm, someone else just has to strap it to THEIR arm.
Camera's not for their selfies, it's to watch everyone else, recognize them and catalog them for Facebook to sell to their customers.
Facebook is Meta as in ... (Score:2)
We were wrong Al along (Score:1)
Or was it Google?
They will become the government
Re: (Score:2)
Facebook is big brother.
Or was it Google?
They're both Privacy Rapists.
Front facing camera? (Score:2)
This watch ... (Score:3)
Who watches the Watchmen? (Score:2)
(meta)
A breakthrough (Score:2)
Not even in the wildest dreams of the Stasi, the KGB, or the SNP could they believe their subjects would personally pay for the equipment to surveil them.