The Meta Quest 3 has appeared in a brand new teaser that confirms it’s going to be introduced on the Meta Join occasion alongside information on “AI, digital, blended and augmented realities”.
This yr’s Meta Join will happen on September 27 and can be a two-day digital occasion, with Mark Zuckerberg’s keynote going down on that first day. This keynote has beforehand seen {hardware} bulletins such because the Meta Quest Professional, alongside upgrades to the digital social community Horizon Worlds.
So what are we anticipating this yr? Judging by the launch teaser beneath, the Meta Quest 3 – which was introduced on June 1 within the days earlier than Apple‘s WWDC 2023 – would be the star of the present. And whereas we already know rather a lot in regards to the headset, Zuckerberg stated there could be extra bulletins at Meta Join 2023.
📣 Meta Quest 3. Meta Join. Sept 27. 📣 https://t.co/Zbh3ck2Tl3#MetaQuest3 #MetaConnect2023 pic.twitter.com/giOZElkKNfAugust 1, 2023
The teaser does not reveal an important deal extra that we did not see already, within the authentic announcement in June, however once more focuses on the three cameras/sensors on the entrance of the Quest 3 headset. These are more likely to encompass two coloration passthrough cameras, plus an IR (infra-red) projector to assist map your environment.
The principle advantage of this full-color passthrough can be that the Quest 3 will have the ability to present the true world in coloration, quite than utilizing the black-and-white passthrough seen on the Quest 2.
The video additionally exhibits the headset’s redesigned Contact Plus controllers, that are apparently extra comfy to carry than the Quest 3’s and may have improved haptic suggestions. This might, for instance, alter the extent of suggestions you’re feeling when doing digital boxing.
However Meta Join can even want to offer us a glimpse of the software program and mixed-reality experiences that can be potential with the Quest 3. And whereas the teaser does not give us a peak at any of these, the official Meta Join web page is promising a broader take a look at VR, AR and blended realities.
The web page additionally mentions AI, which could possibly be referring to the rumored announcement of some new AI chatbots with completely different personalities, that are additionally anticipated in September.
Regardless of Meta making more and more loud noises about its strikes into AI – together with growing its personal AI chip and a speech-generating AI software that is apparently too harmful to launch – we’re nonetheless anticipating the Quest 3 to be the primary focus of Join, and this teaser seemingly confirms that.
The principle issues we already know in regards to the Quest 3 are that it will supply full-color passthrough, have twice the graphical efficiency of the Quest 2, and be 40% thinner than its predecessor. That stated, some leaks have steered that it could even be marginally heavier than the Quest 2.
We additionally know that the Meta Quest 3 will value $499 / £499 / AU$829 when it turns into out there for pre-order, more than likely instantly after Meta Join on September 27. However the primary factor that Meta must nail at Join are the brand new software program experiences that’ll persuade present Quest 2 homeowners to improve.
The present state of the Quest Retailer means that few video games and experiences are managing to interrupt via to change into widely-acclaimed hits. Nonetheless, new video games for Meta’s social VR app Horizon Worlds, like Tremendous Rumble (above), counsel that Meta is retooling the platform to assist it supply improved graphics and extra subtle video games.
With a smartphone model of Horizon Worlds additionally apparently en route for many who do not have a VR headset, plus a rumored new Sensible Guardian function to make it simpler for Quest 3 homeowners to map their room, we will count on enhancements throughout the board.
However precisely how a lot the $21 billion hit Meta’s Actuality Labs has seemingly taken within the final 18 months impacts the Quest 3 is one thing we’ll have to attend till September 27 to search out out.
