Facebook loves putting cameras on things – and it seems its smartwatch will be no different.
In a report by The Verge, which is based on anonymous conversations with “people familiar with the project”, it’s alleged the forthcoming Facebook smartwatch will have two cameras built into the body.
Apparently the smartwatch will be designed to be removed from a stainless steel wrist strap to take snaps on the go, which can then be uploaded to Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
The front-facing camera will be designed or video calling, while there will be a 1080p camera on the rear for more serious photography. And, according to the report, Facebook is trying to recruit partners to support clipping this camera module to things like backpacks, in what seems a return to the idea of lifelogging that was all the rage in 2014.
And it seems the Facebook Watch will hook up with its other wearable tech project – Facebook AR glasses. The Verge reports that Facebook is planning for future iterations of the watch to be a controller for AR experiences.
Facebook is planning to release its smartwatch in 2022, and reports have also circulated that it could cost as much as $400.
Back in February reports also alleged that the Facebook watch would run on an “open-source version of Google’s Android software”, which could mean Wear OS or a fork of a stock Android OS.
Whenever Facebook is mentioned in regards to hardware, there will always be references to privacy – and the company has a bad rep for its history with user data.
It seems a bold USP to try and resurrect the spirit of lifelogging – and try and tempt users away from smartphone cameras and onto something inferior on the wrist. But it’s refreshing to hear about a smartwatch with different ideas, so we’ll be following this story with interest.
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James is the co-founder of Wareable, and he has been a technology journalist for 15 years.
He started his career at Future Publishing, James became the features editor of T3 Magazine and T3.com and was a regular contributor to TechRadar – before leaving Future Publishing to found Wareable in 2014.
James has been at the helm of Wareable since 2014 and has become one of the leading experts in wearable technologies globally. He has reviewed, tested, and covered pretty much every wearable on the market, and is passionate about the evolving industry, and wearables helping people achieve healthier and happier lives.