Meta's latest acquisition suggests hardware plans beyond glasses and headsets (www.engadget.com)

Meta has expanded its ambitions in AI-enabled consumer hardware by acquiring Limitless, the company behind the AI-powered "Pendant." This acquisition signals Meta's intent to diversify beyond its current focus on VR headsets and smart glasses, aligning with its vision of democratizing personal superintelligence through innovative wearables. Limitless CEO Dan Siroker highlighted the shared goal of developing advanced AI-enabled devices that enhance everyday life. The Pendant, a clip-on Bluetooth microphone, records audio and provides a searchable database through chatbot interaction, signaling a growing trend in AI wearables focused on audio processing. With the acquisition, while Limitless plans to support existing customers for a year, it will halt new sales of the Pendant. The trend of AI wearables is gaining traction as they leverage AI capabilities in transcription and summarization, a natural fit for bringing AI assistance to users without requiring them to don glasses. This move, combined with Meta's recent recruitment of design talent, suggests a potentially expansive future for its lineup of AI-powered wearables, following in the footsteps of other tech giants like Amazon, which has pursued similar strategies in the space.