Meta Quest 4 may be delayed until 2027 — but a lightweight alternative could take its place next year
The Meta Quest 4 is being pushed back until 2027, according to a recent leak, but we may be seeing an all-new lightweight VR device in 2026 instead — and it comes with an external puck.
Meta appears to be shifting focus for its upcoming VR headset plans, with notable leakers Brad Lynch and Luna on X stating that the company may switch the release of the Quest 4 from next year to 2027.
This is apparently due to two planned prototype headsets, codenamed "Pismo Low" (a budget model similar to the Quest 3S) and "Pismo High" (a high-end headset akin to the Quest 3), being canceled.
According to the leaks, a "high-end device" is looking to arrive in 2026 instead, and it's set to be a lightweight headset that runs Horizon OS with an external compute puck, codenamed "Puffin."
Yes, I too have heard whispers that Meta may swap the release schedule and debut their new high-end device in 2026, rather than Quest 4. Quest 4 would then ship a year later.June 2, 2025
We've heard that Meta was developing a Quest Pro "successor" instead of a Quest Pro 2, and it appears Puffin could fit into that slot. According to RoadtoVR, this ultralight device would resemble VR goggles rather than a headset, and will be less focused on gaming than Meta's usual headsets.
Instead, Puffin is rumored to be all about virtual screens, offering users a multi-screen setup for entertainment and productivity purposes. This isn't unlike some of the best AR glasses, including the upcoming Viture XR smart glasses.
However, it stands out as the Horizon OS-based device is tipped to come with that compute puck — small enough to fit in a jacket pocket. This would be tethered to the device and deliver processing power, making it lighter to wear. It isn't unlike the Apple Vision Pro, although that headset's external device is a battery.
Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
Rumors also indicate Meta's Puffin device won't arrive with any controllers, instead using hand-tracking to navigate around menus. That's what we've seen in the Quest 3 and Vision Pro already, but it could mean it won't offer any gaming-centric features.
Interestingly, Lynch indicates Valve's Deckard headset will be available in 2026, with previous details suggesting it could launch in Fall 2025. Along with an upcoming Asus ROG VR headset (set to be the first third-party headset to use Horizon OS) in the works, there are a few VR devices coming our way.
While the Quest 4 may not arrive until 2027 now, Meta's upcoming Puffin is still looking to be at the forefront of next-gen VR devices — and Apple may be scrambling to beat it to the punch.
According to 9to5Mac, the Cupertino tech giant wants to launch its Apple Glasses ahead of Meta's offerings, but with Meta's changed plans, we could see its AR glasses get pushed up. What's more, rumor has it that the next Apple Vision Pro headset could drop sooner than we think.
So 2026 is shaping up to be a big year for VR and AR devices, and while we'll have to wait and see what Meta ends up delivering, along with other headsets from major competitors, it's clear we have a lot to look forward to.
That's not all we have coming our way, as we may see Meta's $1,000 smart glasses with a built-in screen arriving this year.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
an hour ago
- Business Insider
An OpenAI exec says she was diagnosed with breast cancer and that ChatGPT has helped her navigate it
Kate Rouch, the chief marketing officer at OpenAI, shared on Friday that she was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer weeks after assuming the role, which she called her "dream job," in December. In a thread posted on X, Rouch said she was sharing her story to help other women, adding, "We can't control what happens to us--but we can choose how we face it. My biggest lesson: no one fights alone." Prior to joining OpenAI as the company's first CMO, Rouch was CMO at Coinbase and, before that, spent over a decade at Meta, including as vice president, global head of brand and product marketing. Rouch said she started treatment right around the Super Bowl in February, when OpenAI aired its first-ever ad, and that she has since gone through 13 rounds of chemotherapy while leading OpenAI's marketing team. She wrote that she is expected to make a full recovery. "It has been the hardest season of life — for me, for my husband, and for our two young children," Rouch said, adding she has been supported by OpenAI "at every step." "Silicon Valley can be brutal and transactional. And yet — I've never felt more held," she said, adding that "people showed up in incredible and unexpected ways." Rouch also said OpenAI's ChatGPT has helped her navigate her diagnosis and treatment, including by explaining cancer in a way that is age-appropriate for her kids, helping her manage the side effects of chemo, and creating custom meditations. "Experiencing our work as a patient has made OpenAI's mission feel more personal and important," she said. Rouch said she was sharing her story to encourage other women to "prioritize their health over the demands of families and jobs." "A routine exam saved my life. It could save yours, too," she said. Business Insider reached out to OpenAI for comment. Kevin Weil, the chief product officer at OpenAI, expressed support for Rouch in a reply to her thread. "We love you @kate_rouch!" he wrote. "Proud of you for telling your story and for being so full of fight."
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Chief AI Scientist At Mark Zuckerberg's Meta Says 'No Way' Scaling ChatGPT-Like Models Is Going To Lead To Human-Level AI
Meta Platforms, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:META) chief AI scientist, Yann LeCun, says the tech industry won't close the gap to human-level intelligence by scaling today's large language models and piling on more parameters. What Happened: "We are not going to get to human-level AI by just scaling up LLMs. This is just not going to happen. There's no way — absolutely no way," LeCun told host Alex Kantrowitz on the Big Technology podcast in March. He dismissed bullish two-year timelines from "more adventurous colleagues" as "complete BS." Trending: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — In a clip of the podcast which was resurfaced on YouTube last week, LeCun likened current chatbots to "a system with a gigantic memory and retrieval ability, not a system that can invent solutions to new problems," adding that even if the models can answer most routine questions, "it's not a Ph.D. you have next to you." Instead of reasoning, he said, today's systems "pattern-match" the next word. LeCun contends the best path forward is collaborative. According to a report by Business Insider, at the AI Action Summit in Paris, which took place in February, he urged governments to contribute anonymized data to a larger open-source It Matters: LeCun has long doubted that OpenAI will win the race to artificial general intelligence (AGI), a stance he first voiced in December 2023. Last week, he pointed Elon Musk toward a new FAIR study on "Contextual Positional Encoding," telling the xAI founder it could boost Grok and then amplified the paper by sharing Meta researcher Jason Weston's explanatory thread on X. The exchange unfolded amid LeCun's running feud with Musk. After Musk posted xAI job openings on Monday, LeCun quipped that applicants should expect a boss who insists their project "will be solved next year." He later applauded Musk's engineering triumphs in cars, rockets, and satellites while slamming the billionaire's politics, conspiracy theories, and habitual hype. Read Next: Hasbro, MGM, and Skechers trust this AI marketing firm — Invest before it's too late. 'Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. You can invest today for just $0.30/share with a $1000 minimum. Photo Courtesy: Tapati Rinchumrus on Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? This article Chief AI Scientist At Mark Zuckerberg's Meta Says 'No Way' Scaling ChatGPT-Like Models Is Going To Lead To Human-Level AI originally appeared on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Bold and the Beautiful Must Watch Moments June 6: Bill Throws Luna A Curveball
The Bold and the Beautiful must-watch moments for Friday, June 6, include Luna's attempt to work her magic on Bill, but he throws her a surprising curveball. Plus, Sheila opens up to somebody unexpected — Poppy. Sheila lets Luna's mom know all her worries about the younger woman's recent behavior regarding Steffy. It promises to be a day full of drama, and you won't want to miss a moment of the show. Tune in to CBS or Paramount+ to watch. Although Sheila (Kimberlin Brown) was so very thrilled to learn about her new granddaughter, Luna (Lisa Yamada), she was furious at Poppy (Romy Park) for her part in creating the young woman. After all, the reason Luna exists is that Poppy slept with Finn (Tanner Novlan) when he was barely an adult. Sheila didn't think that was a great move on Poppy's part, and so she let Poppy know. That led to things getting intense between the two. Now, Sheila knows that Poppy is set on taking Steffy (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) out of the equation. Sheila tried so much to stop Luna from her downward spiral where Steffy was concerned. As for Luna, if it wasn't for Bill (Don Diamont), she wouldn't even be free from prison to ignore her grandmother's warnings about Steffy. Luna managed to get him to help her get released to his care, which set this whole drama in motion. Nobody in Los Angeles (except perhaps Sheila) was happy with Bill's decision to help Luna out, either. MORE: Here's what you must watch this week on B&B. Friday, June 6, 2025 Episode 9536Sheila opens up to Poppy about her concern for Steffy and tries to work her magic on Bill, only to be hit with a curveball.
