Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, offered a glimpse of the company’s upcoming virtual reality headset, the Quest 3, during a teaser on Thursday. In an Instagram video, Zuckerberg revealed that the new headset will have a starting price of $499. The post highlighted that it will be the first headset to feature “high-res color mixed reality.” Additionally, the Quest 3 is reported to be 40% thinner compared to its predecessor, the Quest 2.
The newly unveiled Quest 3 seems to be equipped with a minimum of three front-facing cameras, potentially enhancing the pass-through experiences. This feature allows users to see their real-world surroundings while wearing the headset and engaging with applications. The accompanying video highlighted improved “natural” depth perception for the wearer and emphasized enhanced graphics for gaming purposes.
Meta announced in a release that the Quest 3 will offer “high-fidelity color Passthrough,” along with innovative machine learning and spatial understanding capabilities. These features enable users to interact with virtual content and the physical world simultaneously, opening up limitless possibilities for exploration. The post also mentioned that the Quest 3 will be powered by a next-generation Qualcomm chipset. More information about the headset is expected to be revealed during Meta’s Connect conference on September 27.
Meta’s Quest 2 headset was launched in the autumn of 2020 with an initial price of $299.
As part of Apple’s June WWDC event, the tech giant is anticipated to unveil its own virtual reality (VR) headset next week. This consumer headset from Apple is expected to integrate augmented reality (AR) technologies and have compatibility with hundreds of thousands of iPad apps. However, it is speculated that the Apple VR headset will come with a hefty price tag of at least $3,000.
During Meta’s third-quarter 2022 earnings announcement, the company revealed its plans to introduce the Quest 3 headset, stating that the cost of revenue would increase, partly due to the expenses associated with Reality Labs hardware. Meta specifically mentioned that the launch of their next-generation consumer Quest headset, slated for the following year, would contribute to this cost.
Meta remains committed to investing significantly in the metaverse, a digital universe that is still in the process of being developed and requires virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies for access. The company’s Reality Labs division, responsible for the development of VR and AR technologies, reported an operating loss of $3.99 billion in Meta’s first quarter, alongside generating $339 million in revenue. This highlights Meta’s ongoing dedication to the advancement of immersive technologies and their vision for the future of the metaverse.
In July 2022, Meta increased the price of the base model of the Quest 2 from $299 to $399, explaining that the decision was due to the rising manufacturing and shipping expenses for the device. However, as of Thursday’s announcement, Meta disclosed its plans to reduce the price of the headset back to $299, starting from June 4.
In October of the previous year, Meta introduced the Quest Pro VR headset, targeting businesses rather than consumers. Originally priced at $1,499.99, Meta decided to reduce the price of the Quest Pro to $999.99 in March. Alongside this adjustment, Meta also decreased the price of a higher-end version of the Quest 2 headset, which offers additional storage, from $499.99 to $429.99.