Meta launches Quest 3

Today, Meta unveiled its most awaited new-generation mixed-reality headset, Quest 3 that has been introduced with some ground-breaking features. Earlier the company had teased the product and indicated that it would feature the breakthrough Meta Reality technology (mixed reality system that combines various technologies and more into a single system), and a slimmer model. This year the Meta headset comes with the next-generation Snapdragon chipset which has been developed in partnership with the industry best Qualcomm Technologies. Additionally, the new Meta Quest 3 headset is priced in an affordable range and will offer immersive VR and MR experiences to its users on a small device. Check out what Meta announced about the Quest 3 headset.

Meta Quest 3

The Quest 3 is the latest attempt to broaden the technology’s appeal. Users of the headset will be able to transition between VR and mixed reality, known as XR, with a double tap on the side of the device. A wearer could use the more immersive VR option when watching a movie or playing a game and then move to XR mode when browsing the web and looking at photos. In that situation, the data and images will be overlaid on top of the real-world views surrounding the user.

The Quest 3 features 30% higher resolution, new lenses and a faster chip from Qualcomm Inc. There also are dual-color pass-through cameras, which let users see the world around them.

The latest headset has double the processing power of the Quest 2, allowing for improved graphics rendering, smoother operation, and faster speeds when loading apps. It’s also thinner than the Quest 2 and adds improved speakers as well as new controllers.

The device looks similar to the previous version but has three sensors on the front. The left and right modules are cameras, while the center sensor is a new component for determining where objects and walls are located within a user’s room. This allows the device to automatically place virtual guardrails so a user doesn’t, say, walk into a table. It also can be used for gaming, such as one title that allows players to shoot items on a wall.

After struggling to make money in VR headsets, Meta is seeking to generate a profit from the Quest 3. It’s raising the price of the device by 67% for a model with 128 gigabytes of storage. The Menlo Park, California-based company is also offering a $650 version with 512 gigabytes of space. The Quest 3 goes on sale Oct. 10.

Boosting prices in the face of sluggish sales is a gamble for Meta. It’s failed to attract consumers to its upscale model, the Quest Pro, which costs $1,000. But all the products in its lineup will cost a fraction of Apple’s new Vision Pro, which is due in early 2024.

In addition to XR, Meta is banking on new software to lure users. The company has partnered with Microsoft Corp. to let the device stream games from the Xbox Cloud Gaming service.