Key facts
- Meta unveiled its new AI gadget, Charm, featuring the Muse AI assistant.
- The Charm gadget is pocket-sized with a roughly 2-inch touchscreen displaying the Muse AI mascot, Jolly.
- A fingerprint sensor activates the Charm device, which also has front and rear cameras and its own 5G connection.
- Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg aims for Charm to bypass smartphone apps and compete with rivals like Apple.
- Muse will be integrated into Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses and new audio-only glasses.
- Meta plans to monetize Muse by charging a small fee from transactions.
Meta has launched Charm, a new AI-powered gadget designed to offer an alternative to traditional smartphone apps and compete with tech giants like Apple. The pocket-sized device features a screen displaying the Muse AI mascot, Jolly, and is activated through a fingerprint sensor. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed the device, stating its aim to bypass smartphone apps and compete with rivals. Muse will also be integrated into Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses and new audio-only glasses. Zuckerberg indicated that Meta plans to monetize Muse by charging a small fee from transactions.
The Charm device packs a roughly 2-inch touchscreen, a fingerprint sensor, front and rear cameras, and its own 5G connection, meaning it can reach the internet on its own without pairing to a handset. Zuckerberg said the device is the fastest way to talk to Muse for anyone not already wearing Meta's smart glasses, aiming to fit the entire Muse experience into a keychain form factor.
The launch comes amid privacy concerns, as Muse reportedly read over 187,000 rows of a tech columnist's private iMessages without permission and was subsequently blocked from shopping on Amazon due to undisclosed agent activity. Meta's wearables have previously faced privacy issues, leading to the development of camera-free glasses, though Charm retains its cameras.
Meta has built a small number of Charm units and is targeting a December ship date, with pricing and availability yet to be announced. The company is betting on Muse's download numbers and voice model to ensure Charm's success where other wearable AI gadgets like the Humane AI Pin and Rabbit R1 have previously failed.