Meta Debuts $500 Quest 3 as Apple Prepares to Launch $3,500 Vision Pro Headset Next Year

[alex2792]

I have Quest 2 and it’s great, I really only use it for Beat Saber and some workout apps so don’t see a need to upgrade yet. As far as Vision Pro, that thing is most definitely DOA at that price point.

 

[zubikov]

This is a cheap plastic toy compared to Vision Pro.

That is so elitist, especially considering that the product isn't out yet and that you haven't tried it.

Even the 3 year-old $300 Quest 2, with its inferior fresnel lenses and lower resolution, had a production ready fully functioning XR OS with years of iterations behind it. Oculus link works wirelessly (unlike Vision Pro), to harness the power of an external PC/GPU to deliver powerful graphics. Btw that plastic headset has 2 hours of battery without a cable dangling to connect to an external pack.

The Quest 2, the so-called cheap plastic toy's predecessor, already lets you wonder around every corner of planet with Google Earth's photorealism. I can sim/fly around the planet in any airplane in Microsoft Flight Simulator, witnessing any major city from a cockpit view, enjoying the beautiful photogrametry capture, hyperrealistic physics, DLSS, etc. I can walk inside my own 360 photos and videos that I have been capturing for years in great detail...this is stuff that already exists and is dirt cheap compared to Apple's yet-to-be-seen headset.

I'm sure Apple will do great things with their headset that Oculus users will salivate over, but they have some serious work to do to get there. A shiny AR interface, a few browser windows, 180 degree VR pics captured at home, a movie and photos viewer, and a few apps to start is what you'll paying $3,500 for next spring. Apple will need to convince developers that sinking serious cash into VR app development, or porting over existing Apps, will be a worthwhile effort. I hope that both Meta and Apple are successful.

 

[Spaceboi Scaphandre]

Yeah...no. After having used a Quest 2 I'd rather not get the 3, but it's not because of Meta's datamining, but because their software is hot garbage. QuestOS is sooooooooo bad. It's so barebones despite being based off Android 12. You can't pin apps to the dock, can't organize your app library, the file explorer sucks, but most of all is it's PC connectivity is garbage. Half the time it refuses to connect to my PC DESPITE THE LINK CABLE BEING PLUGGED IN, forcing me to reset the HMD EVERYTIME just so I can connect it to my PC and use it on SteamVR

Valve for the love of god please announce Deckard already, I need to get off Quest ASAP.

 

[Gasu E.]

To be fair it’s a much better buy, vr is made for gaming, the vision pro doesn’t have a market yes it’s Apple and we love the eco system but it’s really just to extend your screens and game on a 2d virtual tv, the guest 3 is much cheaper and gaming is a big focus. Still don’t get the hype for vision pro what can you really do on it

Apple is betting that there's going to be a high end market beyond gaming. If they're right, getting to that would need market development.

 

[NEPOBABY]

I guess we are using virtual differently.

I was responding to the person on the first pages. If his defenders want to create new definitions and shift goal posts I can't keep responding to that.

Don't be a tech weirdo is all I can say. Use any technology appropriately and don't believe that any new thing completely replaces what already works perfectly...in the real world.

 

[NEPOBABY]

I think some people delude themselves by watching too many Sci-Fi movies.

This is still quite a way off. 🤣

Yeahhhhh!

Science fiction and virtual reality don't always gel with actual reality.

But some people keep trying again and again to make failed experiments 'a thing' again by updating the language and adding more sensors.

But the users don't change. The real world doesn't change. Any technology is bound to the real world and if users feel uncomfortable or disorientated by a device then no new sensor or screen will change that.

Neither will dumb concepts like the metaverse, which gamers completely hated and protested again. It didn't even work with the target audience!

If users wore these things daily for long periods they will suffer. Hair loss and face creases from the device, isolation and mental illness, and on and on.

 

[Surf Monkey]

People initially laughed at the AirPod's appearance, and Apple has owned the design and it's now regarded as iconic and synonymous with Apple.

Because it's Apple, there is a higher chance of the vision pro being seen as "cool" and people being willing to be seen in public with it, thanks to the power of their branding. It's cachet Facebook simply doesn't have.

I feel that Apple is right to begin at the high end with a headset offering significant capability and utility and then work on product line expansion (i.e. lower pricing) over time. It also helps that the vision pro is designed to also work with other users who don't own the same device (eg: you can use your AVP to FaceTime someone without the AVP).

This is in direct contrast to Facebook trying to go for mass market appeal by lowering headset pricing (they probably aren't making much on hardware margins) rather than focusing on offering features and utility that people crave and would be willing to pay up for via high-priced headsets.

Either way, I don't think the secret to cracking the VR market is by offering low-cost devices that don’t do a whole lot.

It goes ON YOUR FACE. People who think wearing something on your FACE is broadly acceptable are deluding themselves. Goggles and headsets are not and will never be cool.

 

[Surf Monkey]

Quest 3 looks like it will be a great update.

However I don't think it solves the problem that the number of active VR users is still pretty small. It's a little too pricey to be an impulse buy for people on the fence.

Although there is crossover between Quest and Apple Vision, they seem to be carving out fairly distinct market niches, with Quest going for gaming plus AR and Apple going for... business and prosumer use?

No way. Apple doesn’t cater to that market. The VP is intended to he broadly popular, just like iPhone. But it will never be that. Tim Cook’s Newton is already a flop.

 

[MrX8503]

I'm confused by this:

By my calculation, the Quest 3 would have a total of 9,114,624 pixels with a "4K+ Infinite Dsplay", but the Vision Pro has 23,000,000 pixels with a 4K display? Am I doing the math wrong? The Vision Pro has 2 1/2 times more pixels? So what does the "4K+" actually refer to?

It's all marketing. I'm assuming Quest 3 is 2K per eye and AVP is 4K per eye (also OLED). This means that AVP has about 2x the resolution of the Quest 3.

 

[Jensend]

But some people keep trying again and again to make failed experiments 'a thing' again by updating the language and adding more sensors.

But the users don't change. The real world doesn't change. Any technology is bound to the real world and if users feel uncomfortable or disorientated by a device then no new sensor or screen will change that.

Newer, better sensors can make the movement of the virtual world more closely match the movement of the real world, which increases comfort. The sensors in 2010’s VR headsets are much improved over the sensors in 90’s headsets, which lead to increased comfort. There is still work to be done to make the movement of the virtual world more closely match the real world. With each improvement, more people will be comfortable.
Of course, no screen or sensor technology will stop bad software from disorienting users.

Neither will dumb concepts like the metaverse, which gamers completely hated and protested again. It didn't even work with the target audience!

VR Chat is very popular. Just because some scam “blockchain” “metaverse” failed doesn’t mean that people don’t like social activities in VR.

 

[Surf Monkey]

Newer, better sensors can make the movement of the virtual world more closely match the movement of the real world, which increases comfort. The sensors in 2010’s VR headsets are much improved over the sensors in 90’s headsets, which lead to increased comfort. There is still work to be done to make the movement of the virtual world more closely match the real world. With each improvement, more people will be comfortable.
Of course, no screen or sensor technology will stop bad software from disorienting users.


VR Chat is very popular. Just because some scam “blockchain” “metaverse” failed doesn’t mean that people don’t like social activities in VR.

It’s highly unlikely that any screen will ever be able to completely replicate reality itself.

 

[dooyou]

I had the Quest 2. Great device at a fair price, but like all these devices, in the long run you just sweat, it becomes uncomfortable and in the end it just sits in the corner. And I don't see why it should be any different with the Apple model, the external battery with such a short runtime is a no-go.

Well, it's not suitable as a mass-produced product anyway because of the price, but where do you want to end up with it?

 

[Jensend]

Where is VR chat very popular?

There is an app called VRChat. There are 35,000 users logged in right at this moment.
In the grand scheme of things, sure, that's not all that popular, but it's disingenuous to point to a failed version of a concept (Decentraland) as evidence that "it didn't even work with the target audience" when there is a much more successful implementation of a similar concept (VRChat).

It would be like claiming that people rejected social media and citing the failure of Google+ as evidence.

 

[Jensend]

I don't like the AVP for using in Meta-type virtual worlds. I like it for 3D computing. Doing real tasks that benefit from a 3D immersive environment. Engineers creating 3D models while immersed in a 3D environment rather than working on a 2D screen. Sculptors or crafts people creating items in 3D to then print on 3D printers. Music producers or DJs working on apps for spatial sound mixing and presentation. 3D Video editors working on movies right inside the films they are producing and editing. Graphic novelists and illustrators creating more rich content, etc.

I get that many of you think this is all the same thing as Zuck's metaverse. I think Apple has a dramatically different view.

People have done all those things using Meta and other VR headsets. I know someone who sculpted a dinosaur in VR using a Meta headset and 3D printed a life size version.

Why didn't Apple show their vision for these kinds of tasks?

Also, controllers can increase accuracy and productivity over hand tracking, just like the Apple Pencil improves upon touch input for illustrators.

 

[techfreak23]

To be fair it’s a much better buy, vr is made for gaming, the vision pro doesn’t have a market yes it’s Apple and we love the eco system but it’s really just to extend your screens and game on a 2d virtual tv, the guest 3 is much cheaper and gaming is a big focus. Still don’t get the hype for vision pro what can you really do on it

That's what I have been saying this whole time. People are going to buy Vision Pro because it's Apple, but without motion controller support or Steam support, they are missing out on the biggest piece of the current VR market. 2D games in XR with a console controller and Tim Cook watching all of Ted Lasso on it are not great selling points...

 

[richinaus]

People have done all those things using Meta and other VR headsets. I know someone who sculpted a dinosaur in VR using a Meta headset and 3D printed a life size version.

Why didn't Apple show their vision for these kinds of tasks?

Also, controllers can increase accuracy and productivity over hand tracking, just like the Apple Pencil improves upon touch input for illustrators.

I know with 100% certainty that the Apple Vision Pro will not allow me to do the things I want [tether to a PC for real time visualisation utilising the Nvidia GPU in the computer for one]. So just ordered the Quest 3 for the studio for design and development work.

Suffice to say we will be getting the AVP also. The big elephant in the room for us with the AVP is the difficulty sharing the device with clients [lens correction etc]. Great for personal use, terrible to share in a studio environment. So the quest will be used for these purposes also.

So basically neither product nails it. I am looking forward to playing with the AVP though, and don't particularly care about the Quest FWIW.

 

[Jensend]

I know with 100% certainty that the Apple Vision Pro will not allow me to do the things I want [tether to a PC for real time visualisation utilising the Nvidia GPU in the computer for one]. So just ordered the Quest 3 for the studio for design and development work.

Yup, for most creative professional workflows, you'll be better off tethered to a PC, where you get over an order of magnitude more GPU power, fewer API restrictions, and more control options.

So the Vision Pro ends up being a better iPad alternative than the Quest, but not as good at gaming or professional apps as a Quest (optionally attached to a PC).

And BTW, I am not a Meta/Facebook apologist. Despite being a VR enthusiast, I haven't purchased any Meta products. I've used the original Quest for about an hour.

 

[richinaus]

Yup, for most creative professional workflows, you'll be better off tethered to a PC, where you get over an order of magnitude more GPU power, fewer API restrictions, and more control options.

So the Vision Pro ends up being a better iPad alternative than the Quest, but not as good at gaming or professional apps as a Quest (optionally attached to a PC).

And BTW, I am not a Meta/Facebook apologist. Despite being a VR enthusiast, I haven't purchased any Meta products. I've used the original Quest for about an hour.

I imagine the AVP will be awesome for consumers, which is why we will get one to help with development.
I am also not a Meta apologist, but it is about getting things done, and running a business for me. So I need to cover all bases.

 

[Surf Monkey]

I'm fascinated by something. I think many of you group the AVP into the same market as Facebook's Meta. I feel this when you tend to say they are the same product. I personally hate the Metaverse idea. I have no interest, and I was very glad to see that Apple showed nothing that would resemble the Metaverse as envisioned by Zuck. So grateful they didn't incorporate any of the cartoonish avatars into their presentation. Even their presentation of FaceTime was a bit too close for my liking.

I don't like the AVP for using in Meta-type virtual worlds. I like it for 3D computing. Doing real tasks that benefit from a 3D immersive environment. Engineers creating 3D models while immersed in a 3D environment rather than working on a 2D screen. Sculptors or crafts people creating items in 3D to then print on 3D printers. Music producers or DJs working on apps for spatial sound mixing and presentation. 3D Video editors working on movies right inside the films they are producing and editing. Graphic novelists and illustrators creating more rich content, etc.

I get that many of you think this is all the same thing as Zuck's metaverse. I think Apple has a dramatically different view.

The software aside they’re literally the exact same thing: VR/AR headsets. Of course people compare them.

And let’s not mince words. Meta will copy everything Apple does with Vision Pro on the software side if Apple has any success with it.

 

[richinaus]

The software aside they’re literally the exact same thing: VR/AR headsets. Of course people compare them.

And let’s not mince words. Meta will copy everything Apple does with Vision Pro on the software side if Apple has any success with it.

Yes and no. The specs aren't the same and the software integration and experience with Apple will be vastly superior.
I dont think Meta have any chance of copying Apple due to the integration, but they will give the appearance at least that they have some similar features.

 

[Surf Monkey]

Yes and no. The specs aren't the same and the software integration and experience with Apple will be vastly superior.
I dont think Meta have any chance of copying Apple due to the integration, but they will give the appearance at least that they have some similar features.

Meta is more capable than you give them credit for.

And again, the experience may be different… like the experience of Android is different than iOS. But they’re still the same product class.

 

[NT1440]

Meta is more capable than you give them credit for.

And again, the experience may be different… like the experience of Android is different than iOS. But they’re still the same product class.

Are they? You’d put the quest on the same category as a HoloLens?

 

[richinaus]

Meta is more capable than you give them credit for.

And again, the experience may be different… like the experience of Android is different than iOS. But they’re still the same product class.

Based on my experience with the quest to date, the UX and general user experience are not remotely close to an Apple one.

 

[Jensend]

Are they? You’d put the quest on the same category as a HoloLens?

I'd more closely categorize the Quest and AVP than I would either with the HoloLens.

 

[Surf Monkey]

Based on my experience with the quest to date, the UX and general user experience are not remotely close to an Apple one.

It took a little time for Android to catch up too.