Tag: smartwatch
Best early smartwatch Black Friday deals 2022: Save today on Apple Watch, Galaxy Watch, and Fitbit
We have sad news for anyone who somehow wanted a Facebook smartwatch
Meta abandons its Portal smart displays and smartwatch project following mass layoffs
Meta will stop any and all development on its smart displays and fledgling smartwatch project, according to Reuters. The company’s executives reportedly told employees — those left after mass layoffs that saw 11,000 people lose their jobs — in a townhall meeting that it would end work on Portal. Meta used to sell Portal to consumers, and the device did enjoy an uptick in sales during the height of the pandemic when people had to stay and work from home. However, the company changed strategies in June and decided to sell them to businesses instead.
The Information reported at the time that Portal made up less than 1 percent of the global market even with the increase in sales in 2021. Pursuing the consumer segment was probably no longer worth it, and now the company has decided that it’s not worth developing the device at all. Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth reportedly told employees during the meeting: “It was just going to take so long, and take so much investment to get into the enterprise segment, it felt like the wrong way to invest your time and money.”
Meta has yet to release a smartwatch, though there had been reports and leaks over the years about that particular endeavor. Now, we’ll never see it, unless Meta decides to revisit its development years from now. Bosworth said the smartwatch team will now work on the company’s augmented reality glasses and that half of Meta’s investment in Reality Labs is going towards its AR projects.
In addition to announcing Portal’s demise, the executives also revealed that 54 percent of the people laid off were in business positions, while the rest had technology roles. Teams across the organization were affected, and even employees with high performance ratings were laid off. Meta is combining its voice and video calling unit with other messaging teams, the executives also announced, and it’s forming a new division to solve tough engineering problems.
Reuters‘ report didn’t say whether the executives revealed when the existing Portal models will be phased out, and if it will keep selling them. It also didn’t mention when support for current devices will end, but we’ve asked Meta for more information and will update this post when we hear more.
Best early smartwatch Black Friday deals 2022: Save big on Apple Watch, Galaxy Watch, and Fitbit
Your Ancient Pebble Smartwatch Now Works with the Pixel 7
Nearly a decade after its launch, the original smartwatch still works with modern phones. A new Pebble app update, the first in four years, introduces several improvements and bug fixes, plus compatibility for 64-bit-only smartphones like the Pixel 7.
Read This Article on Review Geek ›
Fossil’s first Wear OS 3 smartwatch is a mild refresh of last year’s model
Fossil is acting on its promise to release Wear OS 3 watches, but you might want to temper your expectations. The fashion brand has introduced its first Wear OS 3 model, the Gen 6 Wellness Edition, and the name says a lot about it — it’s a refresh of last year’s smartwatch that focuses on software. Google’s new software promises an easier-to-navigate interface with improved health tracking, including through Fossil’s in-house Wellness app. You’ll also get relevant watch faces, including a device-exclusive “Wellness Gauge” to monitor your vitals.
There are a few physical changes. The Wellness Edition includes a tweaked 44mm case in rose gold- or silver-hued steel with 20mm straps. Apart from that, though, it’s effectively the Gen 6 you saw in 2021. That means a 2020-era Snapdragon Wear 4100+ chip, a 1.28-inch circular display, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage and 3ATM water resistance. You’ll be disappointed if you were expecting a Snapdragon W5+ or more space for your apps and music.
Existing Gen 6 owners should be receiving Wear OS 3 as an update, and they’ll get much of the experience from the Wellness Edition. Gen 6 watches from Michael Kors, Razer and Skagen should also get the new software. Just be warned that you’ll need to erase your device data as part of the upgrade.
The Gen 6 Wellness Edition is available now for $299. Silicone straps to customize the look are available for $30 each. Fossil still makes some of the better-looking Wear OS watches outside of luxury models like the Montblanc Summit 3, but this is undoubtedly a tough sell if you’re looking for something genuinely new. Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5 family offers a wider range of cases and more up-to-date processing power, while Google’s Pixel Watch compensates for its aging chip with Wear OS 3.5 and a truly stand-out design. If you weren’t thrilled by Fossil before, the refresh won’t change your mind.