Meta Join once more noticed its typical torrent of bulletins this yr, this time together with the official unveiling of Quest 3S, in addition to its new prototype AR glasses, Orion. Notably lacking nonetheless was firm’s three accomplice headsets from Asus, Lenovo and Xbox. The place are they?
Again in April, Meta revealed plans to open its Android-based XR working system Horizon OS to third-party producers for the primary time, signaling a monumental shift within the firm’s function as the only real headset creator for its XR platform.
On the time, Meta stated not solely would the corporate proceed to create Quest units, however the transfer could be a primary large step in turning into the “open mannequin” as an ostensible foil to Imaginative and prescient Professional, vis-à-vis Apple’s patently closed system ecosystem.
Whereas one of many greatest bulletins at Join this yr included the disclosing of Quest 3S, a $300 blended actuality headset that the corporate hopes to deliver blended actuality to the lots, Meta didn’t make any point out of these three units, or when to count on them.
This largely is sensible from a advertising and marketing standpoint; Meta desires Quest 3S to have the highlight proper now, and certain additionally the very best possibilities because the Vacation shopping for growth certain to return. In any case, Quest 3S is now the corporate’s most reasonably priced within the lineup, coming in a good sight cheaper than the now discounted Quest 3 512GB mannequin (now $500) and 128GB mannequin ($430), the latter of which is being phased out.
And Meta hopes to attraction to new customers and upgraders alike with Quest 3S, which mishmashes Quest 2’s lenses and show with Quest 3’s Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset and full-color blended actuality capabilities—notably permitting entry to blended actuality video games and upcoming Quest 3 video games, resembling Batman: Arkham Shadow and Alien: Rogue Incursion.
This might imply we’ll be ready till subsequent yr to listen to extra about these accomplice headsets, supplied the corporate desires to keep away from muddying the waters with something however its personal lineup earlier than Vacation season kicks off. When the corporate lastly unveils them although, it is going to give us a greater concept of how they’ll nestle into Meta’s core lineup, which solely now contains Quest 3 and Quest 3S, as Quest 2 and Quest Professional have now been discontinued.
