![]() ![]() The Information also drops a fun tidbit that, while initial versions of the smartwatch will run some derivative of Android, "Facebook is also working to build its own operating system for future hardware." AdvertisementĪ major driving force behind the failure of WearOS, which Facebook will also have to reckon with, is that Qualcomm has historically not been that interested in supporting a smartwatch ecosystem with hardware. Facebook would then be responsible for running an app store, making developer APIs, and a million other things. If the report is up to date on the esoteric licensing of Android source code, it sounds like Facebook will fork Phone Android and make its own version of Android-for-smartwatches, stripping out any unnecessary features. The report says that "he watch would run on an open source version of Google’s Android software." WearOS is not open source, so making a WearOS watch would involve signing a deal with Google and adhering to its requirements. It's not clear if Facebook will actually use WearOS for this smartwatch. Google seems to have abandoned development of the platform, too, with the last major WearOS update releasing in 2018. All the gadget manufacturers like Samsung, LG, Huawei, and Motorola have fled the platform, leaving only the fashion brands to fight over the scraps. There's no developer base for WearOS, because sales are so low. Google's smartwatch-focused version of Android, WearOS, seems like a dead platform, having only captured 10 percent of the global smartwatch market in H1 2020, according to the most recent report from Counterpoint Research. AdvertisementĪndroid does not have much of a future in smartwatches. These did not sell well in the normal market, but when the pandemic hit, the Portal TV sold out along with every other video chat device. Facebook's newer, less historically disastrous hardware effort is the Facebook Portal line, which is a series of video chat devices available in several smart display form factors and as a set-top box for your TV. The phone lasted one month on the market. ![]() ![]() Facebook made a custom Android skin with a new, Facebook-centric home screen and a few other additions. Facebook and HTC teamed up in 2013 to design a smartphone using HTC's hardware and Facebook's software. ![]() The closest previous project to a smartwatch is the Facebook Phone, aka, the HTC First. If you exclude the acquired Oculus VR division, Facebook's hardware efforts haven't panned out well. Will the project be successful? Let's just say that every word in the phrase "Facebook Android smartwatch" is cause for concern. The report makes it sound like Facebook wants to build its own smartwatch ecosystem, saying the device will "let wearers send messages using Facebook’s services and also offer health and fitness features." The Information later added that "Facebook hopes to emphasize features that utilize its social networking prowess, such as allowing users to track their workouts with friends or communicate with their trainer" and that Facebook "plans to allow the device to connect to the services or hardware of health and fitness companies, such as Peloton Interactive." Sources tell The Information that the watch will be a standalone device, able to hook up to cellular networks without tethering to a smartphone. Here's a statement that should fill everyone with optimism: Facebook is building an Android smartwatch! That's according to a new report from The Information, which says the watch should hit the market next year. ![]()
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