Connect with us

News

Facebook Is Working On A Smartwatch With Messaging & Health-Tracking Capabilities

Published

4 years ago

on

facebook is working on a smartwatch with messaging and health tracking capabilities

As part of its ongoing quest to dominate our lives, Facebook is working on a smartwatch with messaging and health-tracking capabilities, informed The Information on Friday.

The smartwatch will reportedly run on the Android operating system, but it’s unclear whether if Facebook decides to use the established Wear OS platform or release the smartwatch with its own flavor of Android.

In any case, Facebook’s smartwatch will focus heavily on messaging and health-tracking, presumably featuring lightweight versions of the social network’s family of services, including not only Facebook but also Instagram and WhatsApp.

Because the smartwatch will have a built-in eSIM card, it won’t have to be tethered to a smartphone to access the internet, a feature that’s guaranteed to appeal to all fitness users, especially if it delivers integrations with products from companies like Peloton.

The release of the Facebook smartwatch won’t be the company’s first push into other market segments. For example, Facebook’s Oculus VR headsets are among the most popular products of their kind, boasting a thriving ecosystem that’s home to some of the most innovative virtual reality experiences currently available.

As such, the biggest obstacle standing in Facebook’s way to success likely won’t be its ability to create an attractive product but its poor reputation among consumers and regulators, neither of which might not be thrilled by the idea of the company having access to users’ health data 24×7.

Also Read: Apple Likely To Release 8K VR Headset In 2022

Of course, Portal, a standalone video chat device released by Facebook that sparked similar privacy concerns, is still selling well, so it seems that many consumers are still willing to sacrifice their privacy if it means getting their hands on an attractive product.

While the first generation of the Facebook smartwatch will probably play it safe, future generations could benefit from Facebook’s acquisition of the neural interface startup CTRL-Labs in 2019, which specializes in building wireless input mechanisms.

Related Topics:
Advertisement

📢 Get Exclusive Monthly Articles, Updates & Tech Tips Right In Your Inbox!

JOIN 17K+ SUBSCRIBERS

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

UAE Prepares To Launch Two Satellites: Thuraya-2 And MBZ-SAT

HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council yesterday.

Published

1 week ago

on

December 17, 2024

By

uae prepares to launch two satellites thuraya-2 and mbz-sat

HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council in Dubai on December 16, 2024. The session highlighted the UAE’s ambitious space plans and took stock of the sector’s economic progress.

The council emphasized the growing role of private companies in advancing space technologies, noting that their contributions are now equal to that of the public sector. Members also praised initiatives like the Space Economic Zones Programme, which are designed to fuel innovation and investment in the space industry.

Discussing the UAE’s space journey, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum remarked, “The national space sector continues to grow and advance, and we take immense pride in the remarkable achievements we have accomplished over the years”.

Sheikh Hamdan also received updates on two upcoming satellite projects: Thuraya-2 and MBZ-SAT. Thuraya-2, developed by Space42, is slated for launch this December. Meanwhile, the MBZ-SAT, created by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), will soon follow. MBRSC, a major driver of the UAE National Space Programme, continues to lead the nation’s space-related developments.

Space42 took the opportunity to showcase its advancements, including ongoing collaborations between public and private entities. The company also outlined strategies to promote innovation, boost revenue streams, and create new opportunities for growth in the sector.

Also Read: IBM Opens New Doha Office To Support Qatar’s Digital Growth

The UAE’s current projects build on a growing legacy of space exploration. Back in 2020, the nation made headlines with its Mars mission, successfully sending a probe into the planet’s orbit in 2021. This mission, which is now in its second phase as of June 2024, has been collecting critical data to develop a comprehensive diurnal image of Mars.

The UAE also ventured into lunar exploration with an unmanned mission aimed at studying untouched regions of the Moon’s surface. While the probe ultimately crashed during its landing attempt after communication was lost seconds before touchdown, the effort represented a significant step in the country’s exploration ambitions.

Continue Reading

#Trending