Spurred on by the constant success of the Apple Watch and Google remembering that Wear OS, uh, exists, smartwatches are one of the hottest gadget categories out there right now. As we impatiently wait to learn all about the Pixel Watch and its potentially disappointing spec sheet, another rumored product has bit the dust. Meta's long-rumored watch is apparently on ice, just in time to learn about some of its truly ridiculous features.

In October, the folks at Bloomberg spotted a wearable in the Facebook View app, the partner software designed to pair with Ray-Ban Stories. It looked like a fairly generic smartwatch, right down to the minimal bezels and rounded design, but with a notch on the bottom of the display. Taking up valuable screen real estate was a little camera, presumably to pair with selfies, video chat in Messenger, or whatever other niche ideas the company was cooking up at the time.

Previously leaked by The Verge and confirmed today by Bloomberg, Meta's watch actually sported two cameras — one on the front, as seen in previous renders, and one on the back, facing your wrist. The idea was simple: the 5MP front-facing sensor could capture images while wearing the watch, while the "rear" 12MP module could take photos after popping the watch off of the wristband. In theory, this would be the first smartwatch capable of replicating your entire phone, allowing you to leave your larger devices at home and still snap a shot of the sunset in the park.

Meta must've realized how stupid terrible (insert your own negative adjective here) of an idea this was, as Bloomberg now reports development on the gadget has been halted. Today's article paints a much broader picture of what the watch was supposed to be, and not just with a focus on the cameras. It supported Wi-Fi, GPS, and eSIM for cellular connections, synced with Spotify and all of Meta's various social apps, tracked workouts, displayed photos, and sported up to 18 hours of battery life. It sounds similar to what you'll find on store shelves today from companies like Fitbit or Fossil, though running on a platform unique to Meta.

That custom OS did support notifications and a lock screen, though all additional apps would have to be managed through Facebook — not through an on-device app store. Unsurprisingly, it also synced fitness with Meta's social channels, allowing users to post workout results to Facebook or Instagram, similar to how Strava works. Before Meta put on the project ice, it was on track to launch next spring, targeting a price around $349.

As for why this particular model died, there's plenty of blame to go around here. Wearables are an insanely expensive undertaking, and Meta is already looking at a rough 2022. The company is under a hiring freeze as it attempts to reduce costs. That second camera — which, to reiterate, was for photos and not some sort of health sensor — was interfering with the device's electromyography capabilities. That sensor would utilize nerve signals from the wrist to control other gadgets, presumably the company's litany of VR projects in the works.

Reportedly, Meta sees wearables as a core part of the metaverse, a thing that doesn't exist as much more than a meaningless buzzword and a fun VR time-waster on Steam. This device might be dead, but the company is moving forward with similar products — hopefully one with three cameras, because two just wasn't enough.