Meta said earlier this month that it would lay off more than 11,000 employees, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote that it would shift more resources to artificial intelligence and the Metaverse’s long-term vision.
The shift has come under fire from some, who say he should ditch the VR-driven plans and start over.
Zuckerberg also faces scrutiny over his proposed acquisition of VR content maker Within Unlimited, although the FTC believes the deal would “create a monopoly” in the market for VR-specific fitness apps.
However, while Metaverse has faced criticism, VR headsets remain popular with gamers.
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Prices may vary, however — Meta Quest Pro is another gamble for Meta.
Meta announced last month that a virtual reality headset can be purchased — but are holiday shoppers getting their money’s worth?
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg
(Photographer: Michaela Handrek-Rehle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The company’s “state-of-the-art headset” — the first of a new “high-end class” of VR headsets — costs nearly $1,500.
The order includes the headset, two self-tracking Meta Quest Touch Pro controllers, stylus tip, partial shade, and charging dock.
In a press release, Meta said it supports “full-color mixed reality,” blending virtual experiences with the physical world, and features high-resolution sensors, next-generation pancake optics, an advanced LCD display, and Functional stylish comfortable design and natural facial expression.
“All of this makes Meta Quest Pro the perfect device to collaborate and work more naturally in VR. We plan to work closely with developers over time to build a rich ecosystem of experiences that leverage Meta Quest Pro’s innovative mix of Reality and social presence capabilities,” the company wrote, adding that it is exciting to see what developers create with the tools released for the Presence Platform suite of machine perception and AI capabilities.
A man uses Meta Quest Pro.
(Yuan)
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Meta added that the headset will be “ideal for the future of work,” including meetings with Horizon Workrooms, as well as artistic and other pursuits.
“Meta is positioning the new Meta Quest Pro headset as an alternative to using a laptop,” VRdirect founder and managing director Rolf Illenberger told The Associated Press, noting that operating in the virtual world of the metaverse remains a challenge for businesses. “A very long time.”
The company says it is continuing to improve the VR software experience and will add recording and casting capabilities to MR in a future software update.
It’s available to shoppers who support Meta Quest products online and at select retailers including Best Buy and Amazon.
L´HOSPITALET, BARCELONA, SPAIN: A young girl is getting ready to play with virtual reality glasses on PlayStation during the Barcelona Games World Expo.
((Photo by Ramon Costa/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images))
Other headsets offer different features for hundreds of dollars less.
On Saturday, the price of the Meta Quest 2 dropped from around $400 to $350, while the Oculus Quest 2 retails for $500.
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The Playstation VR2, which features smart eye-tracking, sharp focus, and immersive 3D audio, will be available in February for around $550.
Apple VR/Augmented Reality Headset It is rumored to cost more than $2,000, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
According to reports, the cost will be due to the powerful hardware used.
China said earlier this month that it aims to ship more than 25 million VR devices by 2026.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
