Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled the company's new Quest 3 product, the sequel to the bestselling VR headset of all time as competition from Apple looms.
The device was set with a price that starts at $499 and is more expensive than its predecessor which was priced at $200. However, the Quest 3 includes a more powerful chip made by Qualcomm, better screens, as well as an ability called "passthrough" that is expected to be one of the key features on Apple's own Vision Pro headset.
Meta's New Quest 3 Headset
Preorders for Meta's new product are set to open on Wednesday and the headsets are scheduled to ship out on Oct. 10. The defining feature of the new headset is the ability to quickly see outside the headset. This would make the device less isolating and more comfortable to use for extended periods.
When a person is in an app on the Quest 3, double-tapping any part of the headset brings them out of a virtual world and into "passthrough" mode. Meta also made various improvements to the new headset, including "pancake lenses," which is a kind of optic that was first used on its $1,499 Quest Pro that makes images sharper and allows for higher resolution, as per CNBC.
The release of the tech giant's latest VR headset also comes as a battle looms with Apple in the sector. There are many in the technology industry who believe that Apple's entrance could expand the total market and create new winners, similar to what happened when the iPhone jump-started the smartphone market.
Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is so far ahead of the game as its Quest 2 is by far the best-selling VR headset, having sold nearly 10 million units last year. On the other hand, Apple's Vision Pro headset will not be going on sale until next year and it would cost significantly more than Meta's headsets, starting at $3,499.
However, despite Meta's current success in sales for the headset, it is not clear just how many Quest 2 owners use it on a daily or weekly basis. Additionally, the killer app or must-have scenario for VR remains elusive. The company has invested more than $21 billion to date in its Reality Labs division, which is responsible for developing headsets and VR software.
Virtual Reality Battle
The new Quest 3 headset also has support for Meta Reality, which allows users to enjoy mixed-reality experiences that blend the real world with the virtual environment. One example is allowing users to play a virtual piano on a real-life coffee table, according to CNN.
During Wednesday's Meta Connect, Zuckerberg said that if a person using the VR headset picks up a digital ball and throws it at a physical wall, it would bounce off. He added that if someone is shooting at them and they want to duck the fire, they can get behind their physical couch.
Meta plans to use its VR headsets to change how people live their lives by becoming indispensable tools. For example, sometime in the future, the products can allow people to read a holographic recipe in the corner of their eye while they are cooking or have instructions ready when setting up furniture, said the New York Times.
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