Meta plans to launch a new version of its Quest virtual reality headset this year, followed by two more advanced models.
This is according to a detailed roadmap presentation obtained by The Verge.(opens in new tab)what Meta shared with employees on Tuesday.
The new Quest 3 headset is half as thin as the company’s current model, the Quest 2, and at least twice as powerful. It will also be slightly more expensive (the Quest 2 retails for $400), the employee was told during the presentation. The company also plans to ship 41 new apps and games for Quest 3.
But that’s just the beginning. In 2024, Meta plans to launch a cheap headset codenamed Ventura. And while there are no plans for a follow-up to the $1,499 Meta Quest Pro, which launched late last year, the company plans to launch a more advanced headset after Ventura. Features an avatar.
Meta’s vice president of VR, Mark Rabkin, told employees the company has sold nearly 20 million Quest headsets to date. , also stated that they “don’t like it” as much as users who bought it before.
Meta Quest 2 vs PSVR2: Comparing Two VR Headsets
This is funny.We know meta is losing money(opens in new tab) On its virtual and augmented reality efforts, and we’ve seen reports(opens in new tab) We’ve heard that users aren’t as enthusiastic about coming back after their first try at Meta’s VR experience, but that’s not what we’re hearing from the company itself.
Meta also plans to follow up with augmented reality glasses, created in collaboration with Ray-Ban’s parent company, Luxottica, as early as this fall. I didn’t like the first version, but given that Meta didn’t share sales numbers, it’s hard to tell if it had much of an impact on users (see everyone wearing it). never seen it). There are few details about the second version of the glasses, but Meta is already planning his third generation with a “viewfinder” for 2025, allowing users to view incoming text messages, You can translate texts and scan QE codes. It also has a “neural interface” band that allows users to control them with hand gestures.
Finally, Meta also plans a smartwatch that works with smart glasses, positioning it as an optional upgrade for the neural interface band.
There are more. Ray-Ban Stories and its immediate successor are pretty limited in what they can do, but Meta is also working on a pair of true augmented reality glasses, codenamed Orion. will be launched internally, but there are no plans to open it to the public until 2027.
We need to hand it to Meta: Despite recent layoffs (and probably more to come) and lukewarm reaction to many of their VR and AR efforts (including employee complaints), the company has decided that the Metaverse .
Meta’s VR and AR efforts promise an interesting competition from Apple. Apple is reportedly planning to launch its first mixed reality headset in June this year.
