Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, announced the new Meta Quest 3, and it seems like it’s going to provide an experience similar to the Apple Vision Pro. The company aims to bring Apple’s “spatial video” capabilities to the Meta Quest 3, including features like expansion and pinch control, enhancing the VR experience for its users.
Hands-On Features of Meta Quest 3
The upcoming release of version 62 scheduled to launch in the week of February 7th will introduce an on-screen video display for Quest users, allowing iPhone 15 Pro, Pro Max, and Vision Pro users to enjoy 3D videos through their devices. Mark Zuckerberg showcased this feature on his Instagram by sharing images of the Quest 3 with two pins, illustrating the spatial video support. Andrew Bosworth, the CTO of Meta, mentioned on Threads that Quest users were already able to view location-based videos through their headsets as an additional option. Apple’s spatial video function allows the content to be displayed simultaneously on two screens, offering a 3D effect. Previously, users had trouble viewing these videos on the Quest, but now it will be possible to view them on a 3D screen. The Quest 3 limits these videos to 20 minutes, while Apple’s MR device offers unlimited viewing of these videos.
But the Quest is not just replicating Apple’s features; it is also bringing some new gestures for VR users. Now, users can use gestures to access the global menu, and a similar touch can refresh the headset’s display when the field of view starts to distort. The upcoming v62 update will also include other improvements, such as supporting up to 15 slots for seamless transitions from one room to another in Quest 3. This capability mirrors the default version available in the Apple Vision Pro, indicating Meta’s effort to keep up with technological advancements.
The Quest 3, priced at $500, offers excellent VR technology at an affordable price point. It costs significantly less than the Apple Vision Pro, which is priced at $3,500. Meta is banking on the growing interest in Apple’s initial venture into mixed media to boost the demand for VR technologies across the board. The company reported a loss of $4.65 billion in its VR-centric Reality Labs division, with $1 billion in sales, resulting in a total loss of $42 billion since 2020. Despite this, Zuckerberg remains optimistic about the future of VR, stating that he hopes it will continue to be a popular and widely used tool. Despite the downturn in the VR market, Meta reported a 25% increase in sales year over year. This positive trend comes in the face of projections that the VR market will decline by 40% by the end of 2023, as reported by research firm Circana and CNBC.
