The on-again, off-again saga of the Meta smartwatch has taken another turn, with a report indicating that the project is very much alive under a new codename: Project Malibu 2.
Scheduled for a 2026 release, according to The Information, the device appears to be the latest evolution of a wearable strategy that has seen multiple cancellations and revivals over the last four years.
While earlier iterations focused heavily on wrist-mounted cameras, the current roadmap reportedly pivots toward health and AI, positioning the watch as a vital peripheral for Meta’s broader augmented reality and smart glasses ambitions.
A quick rundown of previous Meta watch plans
To understand Malibu 2, you have to look back at Project Milan, the camera-equipped watch we first reported on in 2021. That device featured a detachable design and dual cameras intended for video calls and photography.
While Milan was reportedly shelved in 2022, leaks in July 2025 suggested the concept had been revived as a companion to Meta’s upcoming ‘Celeste’ smart glasses.
Malibu 2 seems to be the refined version of this vision; rather than trying to be a standalone smartphone replacement, it is being built to handle the visual intelligence and health-sensing duties that slim smart glasses can’t manage on their own.
A change in tact
The shift toward health tracking is a notable departure for Meta. While the company has experimented with basic fitness metrics in the Quest ecosystem, Malibu 2 is expected to be a full-fledged health wearable built on an Android-based OS.
This move puts Meta in more direct competition with the Apple Watch, though the integration with Meta AI remains the primary differentiator.
According to the report, the Malibu 2 watch is expected to serve as the primary interface for the AI, leveraging its proximity to the body to deliver more context-aware responses. It may also incorporate the neural band (EMG) technology that Meta has been developing for gesture-based control of its glasses.
Will Project Malibu 2 arrive in 2026?
Given the yo-yo nature of the brand’s smartwatch plans in the past, it’s fair to be skeptical that the device actually arrive later this year. However, with the rapid success of the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, the company does at least now have a compelling reason for a watch to exist.
As a peripheral, it provides processing power, battery life, and biometric data that frames alone cannot. But whether Malibu 2 actually makes it to the Connect 2026 stage remains to be seen.
The focus on an AI-driven health ecosystem suggests Meta has finally found a lane for its wrist-wearable that isn’t just a camera on a strap, but only time will tell.
