Latest news with #Quest3
Tom's Guide
a day ago
- Business
- Tom's Guide
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 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.
Forbes
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Meta Quest 3 And 3S Finally Get Important Mixed Reality Upgrade
Mixed reality and augmented reality are at the heart of the Meta Quest 3 series VR headsets, but it has taken until now for third-party developers to truly get their hands on the hardware proper. Meta Quest 3 The latest version of the Meta Quest software development kit finally unlocks API access to the passthrough camera. This has been part of the experimental version of the platform for a few weeks, but the full release means developers can now use it to publish Quest 3 and Quest 3S software to the official store. Why does this matter for the average Quest 3 owner? It means we're likely to see a slew of third-party apps and games that make much smarter use of passthrough tech. The developer can get access to your video feed and, machine learning compute willing, analyze the world around you beyond its basic structure to enrich apps and games. It may not take long for the first these apps to appear either, given developers have been able to experiment with the API for a short while. Before you start picturing a sudden revolution of mixed reality experiences, though, there are some key limitations. The quality of the feed available is quite limited, a 1280 × 960 resolution image at 30 frames per second. This is going to limit its visual acuity — it won't be able to recognise fine detail or small objects from any grand distance. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Meta announced this upcoming capability in late 2024 as part of its Meta Connect conference, and made a pitch we now hope to see realised. 'This will enable all kinds of cutting-edge MR experiences. You've got tracked objects, AI applications, fancy overlays, scene understanding, and so much more,' said Meta, as reported at the time by Upload VR. The future may see more of the onus for keeping the Meta Quest 3 ecosystem healthy placed on third parties too. Last week, Meta announced more than 100 layoffs associated with its Oculus Studios in-house developments teams and the Supernatural team. Meta acquired VR fitness app Supernatural's creator Within back in 2023 for a deal worth a reported $400 million. In February, reported Meta's Reality Labs losses for the preceding 12 months amounted to $17.7 billion. While huge losses from its mixed reality and metaverse division have been its core characteristic since its inception in 2020, the restructure suggests even Meta has had to get real in the current climate.
Forbes
25-03-2025
- Forbes
Meta Quest VR Update Teases Major Upcoming Social Features
Meta Quest 3S Meta may be working on a new feature that will let you easily share what you see in apps through, for example, a Quest 3 headset. As spotted by UploadVR, a VR enthusiast posting on X claims to have rifled through the code in Horizon OS version 76, and found references to a feature not implemented in Meta Quest headsets just yet. It's a form of screen sharing where only the content from a single pane or app panel is shared, not your entire view. The proposed feature 'shares a panel so that other users in your world can see it,' the app code reveals. Data miner Luna suggests this could be used in Meta social platform Horizon Worlds as well as Horizon Home, although there are clear issues for some of the ways you might think of exploiting this feature. It's not going to work for movie and TV streaming apps, because sharing licensed content in such a fashion would be a major digital rights no-no. And Horizon OS already supports a form of full-view screen sharing through casting to a TV, or via Messenger or WhatsApp. It could be handy for sharing the view of a web browser window, but that would also make more sense in a more productivity-driven device like the Apple Vision Pro. Still, this is still an important forward-looking addition developers may want to take into account when developing software for the Meta Quest 3 and co. It may also become more relevant in future as Horizon OS headsets broaden. In April 2024, Mark Zuckerberg announced the system was opening up to headsets from other manufacturers, like Lenovo, Microsoft and Asus. While these third-party headsets are yet to appear, making the system more versatile is important in this endeavour, especially with Android XR set to arrive later this year as the core competition. Horizon OS v76 was recently released as a public beta test, letting actual Meta Quest owners get their hands on it. Other notable changes include a new Selfie Cam menu area. This feature lets you use your Meta avatar, complete with motion and hand gesture tracking, in place of an actual webcam image. The idea is this view can replace a webcam view in situations where you might ordinarily have one, such as video calls. If you want to be able to try out these beta features early, you can join the Meta Quest Public Test Channel, which will see your headset sent early software. Meta has a page on how to sign up. Bear in mind you are more likely to encounter bugs if you do so.
Forbes
21-03-2025
- Forbes
This Killer VR Headset Solves The Meta Quest 3's Biggest Issue
Bigscreen Beyond 2 Bigscreen has announced the Beyond 2 family of VR headsets, and they provide a pretty compelling view of what some headset makers should be aiming for. It surpasses the Meta Quest 3 in a few important areas, with a couple of obvious drawbacks. First, this is not a standalone headset. You need to plug it into a PC — it's a PCVR rig. The Bigscreen Beyond 2 is also not remotely cheap. It starts at $1019, compared to $299 for the Quest 3S and $499 for the Quest 3. No controllers are included either. With those parts out of the way, let's deal with one of the most remarkable Bigscreen Beyond 2 elements: low weight. The headset weighs just 107g, compared to 515g for Meta's Quest 3 or 127g for its predecessor. Low weight also means the Beyond 2 needs a much less bulky strap is required. It's lighter than most phones, after all. Like the original Beyond headset, the Beyond 2 uses micro OLED displays with a combined resolution of 5120 x 2560 pixels. This is higher resolution than either the Quest 3 or PSVR 2, although it's predictably not close to the Apple Vision Pro, which is estimated at a combined 7320 x 3200 pixels. The 90Hz Micro OLED displays will provide contrast and black levels that are simply not possible with the LCD panels used in Meta's headsets at present. The claimed field of view of 116 degrees is strong too, although Bigscreen only currently provides diagonal field of view numbers, not separate ones for the horizontal and vertical. Clarity at the further ends of the field of view will also be enhanced by the use of pancake lenses. These are used in the Meta Quest 3, and provide far better sharpness in the wearer's peripheral vision than is possible with the fresnel lenses of headsets like the Quest 2 and PSVR 2. The standard Bigsceen Beyond 2 does not feature eye tracking, but it is available in the upgraded Beyond 2e. This costs $200 extra, and uses tiny cameras to monitor your eye position. Both the Bigscreen Beyond 2 and Beyond 2e are currently listed as available from June 2025, although can be ordered today. They come in clear or black casing colours or, if you pay an additional $50, Nuclear Orange. Straps that include built-in headphones and a more advanced Halo mount strap system are also available for an additional $129/$180 respectively. The Beyond 2 follows on from the company's 2023 Beyond headset and, according to Bigscreen, the new model sold in 10 hours the number the original reached in four months. Impressive stuff.
WIRED
10-03-2025
- WIRED
Can Gaming Save the Apple Vision Pro?
A new patent could suggest that Apple may be ready to take VR gaming more seriously on the Apple Vision Pro—which is exactly what's needed to turn the device's fortunes around. Photo-Illustration: Apple/Getty Images If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more. Please also consider subscribing to WIRED Apple Vision Pro is not a virtual reality headset. Not officially, anyway—instead, Apple uses the term "spatial computing" to describe the device's core function. While it's capable of placing users in fully immersive virtual spaces, it focuses more on the passthrough experience, where external cameras let users see the world around them. Most notably, many of its apps and features are tailored to entertainment and productivity purposes, rather than prioritizing the VR gaming market as the likes of Meta's Quest 3 or Sony's dedicated PlayStation VR 2 do. But maybe that's where it's been going wrong all along. While gaming does have a presence on Apple Vision Pro, the headset's use of eye and hand tracking for users to interact with the current visionOS means many games on the platform emphasize the mixed and augmented reality approaches of the hardware instead. There are plenty of cozy puzzlers or board game recreations, where players can use their own hands to manipulate digital objects that appear to float in their living rooms, but fewer that warrant placing them in all-encompassing digital environments. That could be about to change though, as a recent patent suggests Vision Pro may be about to get the one thing holding back some of VR gaming's biggest hits from coming to Apple's mixed-use headset—dedicated controllers. Alongside rumors of considerable updates coming to visionOS, per Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, a lot could be about to change for Apple's mixed-use headset. Chess is one of the native games you can play on your Apple Vision Pro. Courtesy of Apple The patent, published February 2025, is for 'handheld input devices.' While it isn't expressly, overtly connected to the Apple Vision Pro, the summary describes it as potentially controlling 'an electronic device such as a head-mounted device,' which 'may have a display configured to display virtual content that is overlaid onto real-world content.' That sure sounds like what the Apple Vision Pro does (Apple declined to comment for this article). Of course, it's important to note that the unearthed patent may come to nothing at all—tech companies patent ideas that never reach consumers all the time. Using a controller with the AVP is also technically already possible—you can pair a conventional gaming controller to Apple Vision Pro using Bluetooth, for games where a regular joypad will suffice. There are even dedicated third-party VR controllers for AVP such as the Surreal Touch, which has its own pairing app, and ALVR which allows other controllers, even the motion-sensitive Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons, to be used with Apple's headset. The catch is that these are all primarily ways to allow SteamVR games (or any title built around Valve's OpenVR) to be played through Apple Vision Pro. That means that on top of the $3500 AVP headset, users have to have a powerful gaming PC to run games in the first place, and a fast enough local network to stream them to the headset—ALVR suggests no other network activity and that the streaming computer be physically connected to the router by ethernet cable. It's a hack—a workaround—and far from the elegant, integrated solution for controlling Vision-native games that Apple might want. Which brings us back to the mysterious patent. The document also describes a lanyard that can be tracked by external cameras, and shows a few possible uses for the technology, including being held vertically, somewhat like the grip-type controllers found on other headset platforms. Crucially though, the patent doesn't appear to show any buttons, triggers, or thumbsticks on the handheld input device. That could still pose problems in expanding the Vision Pro's gaming offerings—it's hard to imagine how the award-winning likes of Batman: Arkham Shadow or shooters such as Arizona Sunshine II function without those sorts of inputs. However, the patent does suggest that 'the handheld input device may may include a haptic output device to provide the user's hands with haptic output,' and haptics—vibration—alone can dramatically improve gameplay in VR. Playing the Game The game Synth Riders is a great example of this. Developed by Kluge Interactive and available on both Apple Vision Pro and more conventionally gaming-focused VR platforms, it's a rhythm action title, similar to the likes of Beat Saber . Orbs representing musical beats fly towards the player, who has to match the orbs' position with their hands, hitting individual notes or following arcing trails of them. On platforms such as Quest or PlayStation VR, the haptics of the controllers subtly pulse as you catch each beat and gently vibrate as you trace the rails, that sense of feedback instantly telling you when you've hit or missed a beat. This helps you gauge where to position your hands, and how to move your arms through the game's space. On Apple Vision Pro, your hands glide untouched through the air, tracked only by the headset's external sensors, no tactile response to guide your performance. As a result, the same game feels far less accurate and harder to play—in this writer's experience—on Apple's hardware. Controllers with haptics could help alleviate that, even if they wouldn't allow Batman to fiddle with his utility belt. Some game creators are perfectly happy without controllers on Apple Vision Pro though, including Andrew Eiche, CEO of developer Owlchemy Labs. The studio is one of the longest standing VR developers—its breakthrough title Job Simulator was the first game announced for SteamVR a decade ago, and has since been ported to everything from the HTC Vive to PSVR 2 and, as of May 2024, the Vision Pro. Set in a future where robots have replaced all labor, the game sees players recreating the mundane jobs of the present, usually to comedic effect. Even on platforms with controllers, Job Simulator's gameplay is centered on the player interacting with objects around offices or kitchens using virtualized hands, so it was a natural fit for the Vision Pro. "Right now, it feels like the industry is being 'held back' by not including controllers, but I contend this is a necessary growth step," Eiche tells WIRED. "I would like to see VR—or XR, MR, Spatial, Immersive, whatever we call it—become mainstream." "Hand tracking is accessible to almost everyone. It's something natural that you don't have to peek out of a headset to remember what button 'B' is," Eiche adds. "That's not to say controllers should be eliminated. I think [they'll be] similar to [how] smartphone controllers are an add-on for power users who want that specific precise control with discrete inputs." Apple's patent shows a handheld controller with wrist strap. Apple Others aren't so optimistic though. House of Da Vinci VR developer Blue Brain Games isn't developing for Apple Vision Pro—partly because Apple has yet to release the Vision Pro in its native Slovakia, but also because studio co-founder and creative director Peter Kubek thinks 'the lack of controllers puts it at a significant disadvantage compared to its competitors.' Parts of House of Da Vinci VR could, like Job Simulator , work well with hand tracking alone—it's an adventure game akin to The Room , much of its gameplay involving grabbing and twisting 3D objects to solve puzzles left by the eponymous inventor. However, physical controllers could allow for more nuanced controls and allow for movement around the game's immersive Renaissance Italy setting. That degree of control is something Kubek thinks players expect. 'Players are accustomed to the controllers offered by devices like the Meta Quest 2/3 or PSVR, which raises doubts about the viability of Apple's handheld input device [patent] for gaming,' he says. Apple's other hurdle in expanding gaming experiences on Apple Vision Pro may be in bringing over creators. While Eiche says the hardware 'is a very powerful device—we had to do little work to optimize Job Simulator for the headset,' there is a learning curve in getting game development engines to play nice with Apple's systems. "VR has two primary distinct camps, PC and Android derivatives," Eiche explains. "Apple uses a different software and hardware architecture—PlayStation VR also does this. There is a learning curve to figure out how to build a file that runs on the hardware, and then the nuanced differences between how the operating systems structure their applications." "We use Unity, and that creates a second level of complexity," he continues. "So some functions may be simple to use on Apple, but Unity also has to support it, or we will have to create it ourselves. Since we have released Job Simulator and Vacation Simulator for AVP, the maturity of the developer ecosystem has increased." However, Blue Brain's Kubek is also unconvinced by Apple's current direction for the headset, saying "I have significant doubts about the viability of a headset as a productivity tool. VR simply will never be as comfortable as using a mobile device or PC—even for gaming. In my opinion, even if the Apple Vision Pro were priced at half its current cost, it would still struggle to compete with the high-quality and well-established competition in the VR gaming space. "The reality is that those interested in this type of device have already acquired it, and I do not anticipate any dramatic surge in sales." Kubek may have a point, and you only need to look at Apple rival Microsoft to see a recent real world comparison. Microsoft launched its own mixed reality headset HoloLens in 2016, and its successor HoloLens 2 in 2019. Both were priced comparably to what Apple Vision Pro is now, and similarly eschewed gaming in favor of a productivity focus. Despite pitching more to businesses and even landing the odd defense contract, the devices never took off, and Microsoft recently announced it was discontinuing HoloLens headsets entirely. It's perhaps a cautionary tale. Can Apple Take Control? If Apple's patented gadget does turn out to be a way to better facilitate gaming on Vision Pro, it could also be seen as a rare about-face for the company. Despite its ambition to widen use case scenarios for mixed reality headsets, they remain a niche tech category, with games arguably the largest segment of that niche. Given the AVP may have already hit a baked-in user cap based on its current utility—WIRED previously dubbed the Vision Pro's launch one of the biggest hardware flops of 2024—extending a hand to gamers could be one of the few options it has to expand its install base. While the Vision Pro's exorbitant price (it starts at $3,499/£3,499 for the smallest 256GB storage model) may be a major deterrent for some, hardcore gamers are no strangers to paying top dollar for premium experiences—even double the price of an AVP at the extremes of that particular market. The players willing to drop those sorts of prices are the ones Apple needs to get on board. Rumors emerged at the end of 2024 that Apple would be partnering with Sony to integrate PlayStation VR2 control grips with the Vision Pro, which could be a much quicker route to solving the headset's controller woes than Apple releasing its own peripheral (it's probably coincidental that Sony recently slashed the price of PSVR2, too). There's also a chance that even if Apple's patent is connected to Vision Pro, it may not end up being anything to do with gaming at all. Figure 2 in the document shows the proposed device being used as a pen of some kind, which could fit with Apple's productivity and creative uses of the headset, maybe allowing users to draw directly into a virtual space like an enhanced Apple Pencil. Yet the Apple Pencil itself once seemed antithetical to Apple's identity, just as embracing gaming may do now. In that light, a shift to dedicated gaming controller may not be so strange after all.
