Meta Allegedly Explored Adding Facial Recognition Features to Its Smart Glasses

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Meta has reportedly explored adding a facial recognition feature to its smart glasses that would allow wearers to identify people around them by scanning their faces. According to recent reports, this functionality would be opt-in for the glasses’ users, meaning they could choose to enable it. However, those being scanned would not have any way to opt out, raising privacy concerns. While the current Ray-Ban Meta AI Glasses flash an LED light when the camera is active, it remains unclear if the glasses would alert others when facial recognition is being used.

The feature, internally dubbed “super sensing,” is said to build on the existing Live AI capabilities of the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses. Sources suggest Meta considered disabling the camera’s LED indicator during facial recognition scans, which would prevent people nearby from knowing when their faces are being scanned or identified. This raises questions about transparency and ethical use of such technology in everyday social situations.

Meta introduced the LED indicator to inform bystanders whenever the glasses’ camera was capturing photos or videos, aiming to maintain some level of privacy awareness. However, if the facial recognition feature bypasses this indicator, individuals around the wearer could be unknowingly identified. The ability to match faces to names instantly could have significant implications, both positive and negative, depending on how the technology is deployed and regulated.

Concerns about privacy are heightened by past incidents, such as a project developed by two Harvard students who created a system called I-XRAY. This system combined Meta’s smart glasses with large language models, facial recognition tools, and public databases to identify and locate their classmates without their consent. Such demonstrations highlight the potential risks associated with facial recognition on wearable devices, making Meta’s decisions on how to implement these features particularly critical.

Wear OS Smartwatches May Soon Gain AI-Powered Query Responses and Enhanced Gemini Features

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Google’s Gemini AI Set to Enhance Wear OS Smartwatches with Smarter Task Management

After confirming plans to extend its Gemini AI beyond smartphones, Google appears ready to bring these smart capabilities to Wear OS-powered smartwatches, including Samsung’s Galaxy Watch line. Recent leaks suggest that Samsung’s upcoming One UI 8 update will integrate Gemini Actions, enabling smartwatch users to get intelligent responses to queries, summarize emails, and perform various automated tasks right from their wrist. This expansion aims to boost the productivity and convenience of smartwatches by leveraging the same AI-driven automation features already found on smartphones.

The discovery comes from a detailed teardown of leaked One UI 8 APK files by Android Authority, in collaboration with AssembleDebug. Inside the Google Assistant app’s code, references to Gemini Actions hint at a range of new functionalities in development. These features include managing calendar events, summarizing emails, and answering general questions—functions that transform the smartwatch from a simple notification device into a more proactive assistant capable of handling everyday tasks on the go.

According to the code, users may also be able to interact with Gemini through customizable tiles, allowing quick access to specific AI-powered actions like rescheduling meetings or checking the weather. Additionally, there are indications that the smartwatch interface will provide easy controls to mute the AI’s voice feedback, giving users flexible options for interaction depending on their environment. This combination of voice and touch controls aims to make the AI assistant more intuitive and less intrusive during use.

While the leaked code strongly suggests these features will debut on Samsung Galaxy Watches with One UI 8, industry insiders speculate that the Gemini AI rollout could extend to other Wear OS smartwatches as well. Notably, Samsung might skip the intermediate One UI 7 update entirely and move directly to One UI 8 for its wearables, signaling a significant leap in software capabilities. This development reflects Google and Samsung’s commitment to making smartwatches smarter and more helpful through AI innovation.

Apple Watch Sees Second Year of Shipment Decline Amid Stagnant Upgrades and No New Model: Report

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Apple Watch Shipments Dip Again Amid Lack of Innovation and Product Gaps

Apple is reportedly facing a continued decline in demand for its smartwatch lineup, with 2024 marking the second straight year of shrinking shipments. Market research indicates that one of the hardest-hit regions is North America—Apple’s largest market—where the drop in sales has been particularly steep. Analysts attribute this slump to a lack of new product launches and minimal upgrades in the current Apple Watch range, leaving consumers with little incentive to upgrade.

According to data from Counterpoint Research’s Global Smartwatch Shipment Tracker for Q4 2024, Apple Watch shipments fell by 19% year-over-year. This marks the fifth consecutive quarter of declining performance for the company in the wearables segment. While Apple’s shipment numbers slipped, several Chinese manufacturers gained momentum, closing the gap in the competitive global smartwatch market. Notably, Apple’s market share dropped by 8 percentage points over the past year, largely due to weakened performance in North America, which typically accounts for over half of its annual smartwatch sales.

A major reason behind this dip appears to be Apple’s subdued product strategy. The Apple Watch Series 10, launched last year, introduced only minor improvements, failing to generate enthusiasm among potential buyers. Furthermore, Apple skipped launching two key models—the Apple Watch SE (3rd Gen), a popular budget-friendly variant, and the Apple Watch Ultra 3, its premium flagship that contributes over 10% of the company’s smartwatch sales. The absence of these models left noticeable gaps in Apple’s product portfolio, affecting shipment volumes significantly.

Compounding the issue, Apple has also been navigating legal challenges related to the Watch’s health-tracking features. A patent dispute with medical tech firm Masimo over blood oxygen sensor technology led to a temporary sales halt in the U.S. To comply with legal rulings, Apple later disabled the SpO2 functionality on some models. These setbacks, combined with muted hardware changes and fewer product releases, appear to have weakened Apple’s grip on the smartwatch market, even as rivals step up innovation and affordability in the segment.