It looks like Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta gambit isn’t going to pay off. When Facebook rebranded to Meta, it was clear something was afoot. Whether that was driven by Zuckerberg’s desire to get out ahead of the NFT and metaverse hype train or a ham-fisted attempt to distract from some nasty Facebook-related headlines, Facebook’s new name was a signal that the company was ready to roll in a new direction. However, that new direction might not be where users want to go. For the first time ever, Facebook lost daily users — about one million — on top of lower targeted advertising growth (which is a major way Facebook makes all of its money). It’s a downturn reflected in the market, with shares for Facebook’s parent company Meta dropping 23% at market open on February 3 (yesterday), cutting over $230 billion of value from the conglomerate. According to the executive team, this drop has been chalked up to increased competition (courtesy of platforms like TikTok), as well as new developments in ad-blocking technology (including Apple’s new privacy policy). Those are reasonable examples, but don’t factor in general skepticism around a metaverse-led product offering (which, while buzzy now, is an approach that has seen some push back from executives like LVMH’s Bernard Arnault). While this doesn’t count out Zuckerberg’s hope for a metaverse-dominated social media landscape, this poor performance as we transition into 20222 proves that Zuckerberg’s vision for the future might have some more to prove before finding widespread success. Meta(verse) antics aside, we’re talking G-Shock’s “Utility Dial Camouflage” series, Threes Brewing’s new seventh anniversary beer and a new way to own a Lamborghini Countach. This is Today in Gear.
Today in Gear is our daily roundup of all the latest product announcements, drops and news. Send your most pressing product questions to [email protected].
Leave it to G-Shock to make a camouflage watch that’s primed to stands out.
G-ShockWho says camo has to blend in? G-Shock’s “Utility Dial Camouflage” series consists of five watches (ranging from the digital DW5600 to the analog-hybrid GA2100 and GA700 models), giving them each a neutral-hued strap and camo-printed face. As expected, all watches are shock-resistant, have a perpetual calendar feature and are water-resistant up to 200 meters.
