Meta Debuts $1500 'Quest Pro' Mixed Reality Headset Ahead of Apple's 2023 AR/VR Device

[8KYUP]

Order placed. Added the case and the shields. Love Quest 2 and this looks outstanding. Stoked to see Microsoft working with Meta on workrooms and meet with larger future goals. Meta is a bit frustrating in that their explanation of their product is horrible when the product itself is exceptional. Apple is amazing at explaining and selling (and delivering). Looking forward to Apple's 2023 entry as well. Great time for VR.

 

[ct2k7]

90% of posts in this thread is hating on META, if it were a different company or even Apple putting this device, there would be a lot less hate.

 

[Pakaku]

90% of posts in this thread is hating on META, if it were a different company or even Apple putting this device, there would be a lot less hate.

There would also be a lot less hate if Meta changed their ways to be less scummy and creepy

In the meantime, I'll shill for Valve when it comes to insanely-priced VR kits

 

[ct2k7]

There would also be a lot less hate if Meta changed their ways to be less scummy and creepy

In the meantime, I'll shill for Valve when it comes to insanely-priced VR kits

Eh, I find there’s general hate for anything that’s not Apple here, it is MacRumors after all.

 

[Spaceboi Scaphandre]

I’m all up for AR but VR seems annoying except for maybe gaming.

Try social VR and you'll say otherwise. Social VR is an experience like no other. I've met so many unique characters and new friends in VRChat and Pokerstars VR. There's an HBO documentary all about the magic of social VR called "We Met in Virtual Reality."

 

[6787872]

There’s quite a bit new about it. It’s a standalone mixed reality headset. It’s also geared towards being a replacement for your computer.

not a 'new category'

 

[geartau]

Meta tries to show us behind the curtain in terms of research that they are doing

or Meta is trying to convince investors to "please don't sell the stock, we're going to be losing cash for 10+ years while we build this"

 

[Muzzakus]

Looks so lame a case of beer would be asking too much.

PlayStation focusing on gaming is where the party is

 

[bobcomer]

When you make something the core value of your company, then you violate that core value, it destroys your company. Meta makes their money selling your data. Apple makes their money selling you products and services. If they ever get caught violating people's privacy, it will largely be the end of their company. Why would they risk that? (They are very explicit about how they collect data and how they use it. Is it perfect protection? No. It is very good.)

Well, there's that CSAM Scanning on our devices that made me think that Apple isn't about privacy at all, but control. I'll never trust them for anything again.

There's also that deal with google...

 

[attila]

Seriously doubt Meta will sell more than Apple even if they release a year or two earlier.

 

[flimpy]

Haven't even seen him on the news lately. Too busy spying, collecting data, and invading the privacy of people.

Didn't he attend the recent UFC event and took a picture with Dana?

 

[gccumber]

Perhaps its part of getting older but my cynical outlook on AR/VR isn’t changing. I want to like these things but I can’t help thinking about the ways technology continues to isolate humanity. Growing up in the 80’s and 90’s this was the dream and now that we’re on the doorstep of realizing said dream, I find myself asking why? If anything this makes me want to be out in nature — more connected to the Earth and my fellow humans in real tangible places. The proposed fantasy world appears hollow and dull. Apple, Meta, other AR/VR… they don’t appear to be for me. Just an old man’s 2¢.

 

[R1PPER]

Perhaps its part of getting older but my cynical outlook on AR/VR isn’t changing. I want to like these things but I can’t help thinking about the ways technology continues to isolate humanity. Growing up in the 80’s and 90’s this was the dream and now that we’re on the doorstep of realizing said dream, I find myself asking why? If anything this makes me want to be out in nature — more connected to the Earth and my fellow humans in real tangible places. The proposed fantasy world appears hollow and dull. Apple, Meta, other AR/VR… they don’t appear to be for me. Just an old man’s 2¢.

well in theory a good metaverse should be a very social experience. The tech is not there yet but with increased fidelity and ease of use, you will be able to pop into your penthouse and invite your friends in and party like its 1999. Its definitely coming if you've ever dabbled with a quest you will understand the potential.... it's just not ready yet.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

Not dealing with “Facebook” owned VR anymore. They basically screwed up the Oculus brand. I barely use my Rift S anymore.

I’m more interested in the PSVR2, than anything else at the moment.

 

[mrWONERFUL]

Any product with a Facebook and Microsoft collaborative is a hard pass from me.

 

[bobtem]

Doesn’t Meta have someone smarter than Zuck to head up the company? He has neither the looks or the brains to be the spokesperson or leader.

 

[bobenhaus]

No thank you! Not trustworthy!

I will wait for Apple. I respect my privacy.

Ahahah living in a bubble thinking Apple doesnt sell your data. lol

 

[JPIndustrie]

The only people using VRs are the beat saber remnants and Sim Racers , I guess they'll be happy with the increased resolution and FOV but I do not see regular worker bees putting these on to 'have meetings'.

 

[JPIndustrie]

Not dealing with “Facebook” owned VR anymore. They basically screwed up the Oculus brand. I barely use my Rift S anymore.

I’m more interested in the PSVR2, than anything else at the moment.

Valve Index is the undisputed VR headset if you want to game , which is lets be honest the ONLY use case lol

 

[oneMadRssn]

I disagree with all of this. VR (and AR) do fix many problems. Just look at the pandemic two years ago. The entire world was on lockdown in quarantine for almost a year. Everyone was separated. But in social VR, it's as if those barriers don't exist. Throughout lockdown a VR game/social app I used daily was Pokerstars VR, and in Pokerstars I was playing Texas Hold Em on poker tables with different people around the world, and it was as if they were right next to me where I was sitting. We could interact with each other is if we were close and in ways we couldn't in real life, such as our poker table being in a supervillain's volcano lair. VR allows for new social interactions and for connections that you wouldn't have thought about, and is an experience you need to try. I highly recommend you watch the HBO Documentary "We Met In Virtual Reality" for more on that.

A great example of this is the VR news site UploadVR and their weekly news cast the VR Download. The two hosts of the VR Download live far apart, one of them being in the US, and the other in Ireland. They have never met each other in real life at all, but are completely connected in VR as if they were face to face, and they do this show every week together sitting together on their news desk set they made in VR, looking at each other, interacting as if they were in a real set.

VR also allows for greater accessibility of experiences you wouldn't normally do, either through price, physical limitations, or reality limitations. For example, in VR I have a program called Kayak VR Mirage that's a Kayaking simulator on PCVR. I've never gone kayaking and never thought of ever doing it before, either through disinterest or cost of going on a kayaking tour, but in VR I was able to give it a try and I discovered "hey kayaking's really awesome." Kayak VR Mirage also has a variety of different locales around the world I can just instantly jump into, such as the coasts of Costa Rica, to the glaciers of Antarctica, or the canyons of Australia, and I can just go to wherever without needing to pay for travel costs.

Yeah there's always VR games, but social VR and fitness VR is something else that really sets VR apart from just for the enthusiasts.

Don't you see that your story confirms my point? I am not saying VR doesn't fix any problems. I'm saying VR came first, and now they're trying to find problems to fix with it. This is backwards, and not a recipe for mass success.

I'm glad you got enjoyment and derived benefits from VR during the pandemic. But modern consumer-level VR predates the pandemic by nearly a decade. It was not invented to solve a problem of the pandemic. It was invented first, and later sought applications in the pandemic world.

I'm not saying VR will ultimately be a failure. But this recipe - invent the tech, and then find applications - basically ensures that there will not be mass adoption, and instead there will be a patchwork of niche applications.

Compare it to the smartphone. There was a real problem that many companies identified first: too many single-purpose electronic devices. MP3 players, camcorders, digital cameras, personal digital assistants, cell phones, messengers. The idea was to created a converged device that had the functionality of all of the above in one thing. Palm tried, Microsoft and several OEMs tried, Blackberry tried. Ultimately it was Apple's device that got the formula right. But all the companies were marching towards the same common goal of solving the problem above. You can draw a straight line from the first Palm smartphone to the first iPhone.

With that example, it's clear how VR is working backwards. How can they possibly try to get the "right formula" if they have no idea what they're trying to solve? They're just wandering aimlessly, creating some very cool stuff along the way, and certainly creating enriching experiences, but nobody can answer where they're headed.

 

[Mike WA4D]

Order placed. Added the case and the shields. Love Quest 2 and this looks outstanding. Stoked to see Microsoft working with Meta on workrooms and meet with larger future goals. Meta is a bit frustrating in that their explanation of their product is horrible when the product itself is exceptional. Apple is amazing at explaining and selling (and delivering). Looking forward to Apple's 2023 entry as well. Great time for VR.

What’s wrong with you 8KYUP? Don’t you read the posts by those here who “can’t figure out” what this is all about? What’s with the enthusiasm and forward looking mindset? Laughs

 

[TVreporter]

No interest in this... I'm sure my kids will love it for the future of gaming.


Curious is there one company who does these product ads? Because they're all starting to look the same with some
flashy zoom ins and quick spins of a product.

Apple, Google, Samsung - all the same type of promotions. Is one company hired to do them all? Or are they making their own ads?

 

[Mike WA4D]

Don't you see that your story confirms my point? I am not saying VR doesn't fix any problems. I'm saying VR came first, and now they're trying to find problems to fix with it. This is backwards, and not a recipe for mass success.

I'm glad you got enjoyment and derived benefits from VR during the pandemic. But modern consumer-level VR predates the pandemic by nearly a decade. It was not invented to solve a problem of the pandemic. It was invented first, and later sought applications in the pandemic world.

I'm not saying VR will ultimately be a failure. But this recipe - invent the tech, and then find applications - basically ensures that there will not be mass adoption, and instead there will be a patchwork of niche applications.

Compare it to the smartphone. There was a real problem that many companies identified first: too many single-purpose electronic devices. MP3 players, camcorders, digital cameras, personal digital assistants, cell phones, messengers. The idea was to created a converged device that had the functionality of all of the above in one thing. Palm tried, Microsoft and several OEMs tried, Blackberry tried. Ultimately it was Apple's device that got the formula right. But all the companies were marching towards the same common goal of solving the problem above. You can draw a straight line from the first Palm smartphone to the first iPhone.

With that example, it's clear how VR is working backwards. How can they possibly try to get the "right formula" if they have no idea what they're trying to solve? They're just wandering aimlessly, creating some very cool stuff along the way, and certainly creating enriching experiences, but nobody can answer where they're headed.

I’d like to see the Educational backgrounds, professional experience and CV’s of the would-be experts here. Many are in a panic because “nobody can answer where they’re headed”. Thankfully there will be no— “instruction manual” for the early adopters. They’ll have to use their imagination (a trait not often exhibited here). It’s surprising how many Apple enthusiasts are so incredibly timid about the future.

 

[spinedoc77]

Seeing how bad Meta is doing with their Metaverse this thing is going to flop hard, too bad as it looks like compelling hardware. These headseats are just way too clunky, with that battery pack now you can't even enjoy it laying down or with any sort of headrest behind your head. I don't see any killer applications yet, the Metaverse is tanking without a good use case, VR games are mostly just tech demos, and AR hasn't been implemented in any killer way that I've seen. Finally the price, the only reason the Quest 2 made such inroads was because it was relatively cheap, but at $1500 yeah good luck.

VR/AR definitely has a place and will become increasingly adopted, but the hardware side of it is just too soon.

 

[laptech]

What we need to do is write down the names of all those who are against this product and see what happens when Apple releases theirs and see how many of these members say 'i must get one'