Meta inicia la prueba de "AI Collar", con el objetivo de vender millones de dispositivos wearables en la segunda mitad del año

Meta Wearable Device Vice President Alex Himel revealed in an internal memo that Meta plans to test an AI pendant device within the next year, integrating the Limitless technology (formerly Rewind, a $99 dialogue recording and transcription pendant) acquired at the end of 2025. Meta aims to ship 10 million wearable devices in the second half of 2026, simultaneously launching the "Wearables for Work" enterprise service and the smartwatch codenamed Malibu 2.
(Background: Preview of Meta’s next-generation Ray-Ban smart glasses: supporting facial recognition, built-in AI assistant… launching in 2026)
(Additional context: The era of AI wearable devices is here! An overview of the布局 of Google, OpenAI, Microsoft, Meta, and Apple’s five tech giants)

Key Summary

• Meta plans to test an AI pendant device within a year, integrating the Limitless ($99 dialogue recording pendant) technology acquired in December 2025
• Target to ship 10 million wearable devices in the second half of 2026, launching Malibu 2 smartwatch and enterprise version Wearables for Work
• Reality Labs has accumulated losses of over $70 billion, shifting budget focus from VR to smart glasses and wearable AI

Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses sold 7 million units last year, three times the combined sales of 2023 and 2024. But Zuckerberg apparently feels that glasses alone are not enough; Meta’s wearable AI ambitions are extending from the face to the neck.

On May 29, The Information cited an internal memo from Meta’s Wearable Device Vice President Alex Himel, revealing that Meta plans to initiate internal testing of an AI pendant device within the next year. The device is positioned as an "always-on" personal AI assistant, focusing on meeting recordings, dialogue transcription, and real-time summaries, serving as the core hardware for the "Wearables for Work" enterprise wearable service.

This is not a speculative concept; Meta already purchased a ready-made product last December.

On December 5, 2025, Meta acquired the AI wearable startup Limitless (formerly Rewind), whose flagship product is a $99 pendant device capable of recording face-to-face conversations, automatically transcribing, and generating summaries. Founder Dan Siroker (former CEO of Optimizely) joined Meta’s team after the acquisition. Limitless immediately ceased external sales, and the Rewind app was officially taken down on December 19.

Malibu 2 smartwatch reboot, aiming to ship 10 million units

Himel’s memo reveals more than just the pendant. Meta also rebooted the smartwatch project that was shelved in 2022 due to cost-cutting, internally codenamed "Malibu 2," focusing on biosensing and built-in Meta AI assistant, positioned as a complementary device to Ray-Ban glasses.

The overall goal is clear: ship 10 million wearable devices in the second half of 2026. The new prescription lenses for Ray-Ban Meta, Blayzer and Scriber, were launched on April 14, starting at $499; lens manufacturing partner EssilorLuxottica aims to double production to 20 million units by the end of the year. Meta is readjusting its hardware roadmap for Reality Labs to prevent market confusion caused by multiple device launches.

Meta is transforming from a "smart glasses company" into a "wearable AI platform."

The Battle for Wearable AI

Meta has also paid a lot of tuition fees; since late 2020, Reality Labs has accumulated losses exceeding $70 billion, with a $4.03 billion loss in Q1 2026 and revenue of only $402 million. Last year, about 1,500 employees were laid off (10% of the department), and four internal game studios were closed. The budget focus has shifted significantly from VR headsets to smart glasses and wearable devices.

Meta is not the only major company betting on wearable AI. OpenAI is collaborating with former Apple design chief Jony Ive to develop AI glasses and smart speakers, manufactured by iPhone OEM Pegatron, aiming for a 2026 launch.

Apple is reportedly developing an AI wearable device about the size of an AirTag, equipped with a microphone, speaker, and camera, expected to launch in 2027. It appears that the two giants’ approaches are converging.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Meta’s AI pendant device?

Meta’s planned wearable AI device, integrating the acquired Limitless technology, can record audio, transcribe conversations, and automatically generate summaries. Positioned as an "always-on" office AI assistant, its price is expected to be based on Limitless’s original price of $99.

What is Meta’s sales target for wearable devices in 2026?

Meta aims to ship 10 million wearable devices in the second half of 2026. Ray-Ban Meta glasses sold 7 million units in 2025, and lens partner EssilorLuxottica’s production target will double to 20 million units in 2026.

This article is sourced from The Information and compiled by Dongqu Dongqu.