Meta Quest 3 isn’t a reality yet, but it’s expected to launch this year, probably in the fall at the Meta Connect event. This will be a consumer-facing Meta headset that will replace the Meta Quest 2. We recently heard rumors that the headset will be much thinner with more compact display lenses than the Quest 2 and that it could be powered by a more powerful Qualcomm chipset. Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2.
Now, Meta’s recent earnings report has shed some light on new information about Quest 3. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, has confirmed that Quest 3 will support Meta Reality, a technology that allows the headset to be used for both augmented reality as well as virtual reality. This means that Quest 3 will be a mixed reality headset, not just virtual reality – just like the premium, enterprise-focused Meta Quest Pro. We’ve heard about this before, but Zuckerberg seems to have confirmed it.
Mixed reality is a key feature of the Quest Pro, which costs $1,499, while according to Zuckerberg we should pay around $300-$500 for the Meta Quest 3. For a third of the cost, users will get premium technology in the upcoming headset, which is potentially great news.
Zuckerberg talks about Meta Quest Pro in the company’s earnings report (will open in a new tab) and mentions, “This is the first mainstream mixed reality device and we are setting the industry standard with our Meta Reality system.”
He goes on to talk about the upcoming Quest 3, saying, “Later this year, we’re going to be releasing our next generation consumer headset that will also feature Meta Reality, and I expect this technology to make this technology popular.” the baseline for all future headsets, and eventually, of course, for augmented reality glasses.” This confirms that we will indeed see a Quest 3 headset this year and that mixed reality will likely have more use cases in the future.
Currently, the mixed reality feature offers the basic Quest Pro feature, including a detailed “pass-through mode”. Users can view their surroundings while wearing the headset thanks to two external cameras that provide a relatively high-resolution 3D color version of the environment. In our Meta Quest Pro review, we note that the image quality is a bit grainy.
The Quest 2 headset also offers even a basic pass-through mode where users can see their surroundings in black and white, although the resolution is quite low. With mixed reality in Quest 3, the headset can greatly improve its pass-through mode, giving users a clearer view of their surroundings while wearing the headset. Following Zuckerberg’s remarks, we can also expect other applications or applications based on the use of Meta Reality technology to appear.
Rumored to be called “Reality Pro”, Apple’s VR/AR headset could see the light of day this spring and compete with the Meta headsets. The Apple headset is also said to support mixed reality and give users a sense of the environment while wearing the device. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said the headset would be heavy for gaming, media consumption and communication, suggesting that Apple is designing something with consumers in mind. In addition, hand and eye tracking seems to be one of the company’s main selling points for this device.
Rumor has it that the Quest 3 will get a depth sensor that will be able to measure the space in front of the user to possibly take into account hand tracking as well. Apple’s headset is rumored to cost a whopping $3,000, which is almost ten times the price at which the Quest 3 could be launched. More affordable and with mixed reality technology, the Quest 3 could very well make our list of the best VR headsets.
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