Although Apple and Meta haven’t yet made their first consumer virtual reality headsets available, they are already hard at work on the upgrades.
Bloomberg reported on October 8 that the Vision Pro, Apple’s first headset, will probably debut in the first half of 2023. High-resolution cameras that support mixed reality, a potent M2 chip made by Apple, and clear micro-OLED screens are all included in the Vision Pro.
The present Vision Pro prototype, however, is big and heavy, and users who wore the device for an extended period of time complained of neck pain.
Apple engineers plan to make the headset lighter and smaller for the upcoming iteration to increase comfort. To more evenly distribute the weight, an over-the-head strap is one possibility being considered. However, the greatest long-term approach might involve creating lighter hardware components. Apple also wants to make it easier for people who wear glasses to integrate prescription lenses.
Preparing for the release of Quest 3:
In the meantime, Meta is getting ready to start selling its $500 Quest 3 headset the next week. The Quest 3 offers improvements over the Quest 2 such as speedier performance and a more refined design, but at $200 more expensive than the Quest 2, Meta aims to reduce costs on subsequent models to increase general appeal.
Launching a new entry-level headset sans controls and enabling hand gestures to operate the interface is one tactic. This would increase functionality at the expense of production cost, with some speculations speculating a price under $200. Additionally, Meta has high-end replacement plans for the unsuccessful $1,500 Quest Pro.
Despite Apple’s high level of trust, Meta believes that the Vision Pro has the ability to revolutionize the virtual reality industry. One Meta employee compared the excitement to how the mobile sector anticipated the launch of the first iPhone:
We have reached the “Apple-afraid” stage.
Both businesses still have long-term goals for augmented reality technology. Due to nascent technology, Apple put its AR glasses project on hold last year; nevertheless, it may now resume work to realize CEO Tim Cook’s vision of svelte and covert AR glasses. Meta is still committed to developing future augmented reality glasses and is already putting them to the test.
