Source: META / Meta Quest 2 Pro
Meta Connect 2022 concluded on Tuesday (Oct. 11) and the one-day virtual event highlighted all the exciting news to emerge from the Meta Quest team and beyond. During the keynote address, the Meta Quest Pro was announced along with a slate of new programming in the entertainment category along with work productivity tools.
Meta Connect 2022 was a showcase for Meta’s ongoing forays into the ever-advancing world of virtual reality (VR) and while competition is ramping up, the company’s deep investment in the space has helped it establish deep roots. Meta Quest 2, which is currently the flagship VR headset from Meta, isn’t just a hub for gaming but also an array of upcoming entertainment options and a brand new partnership with NBCUniversal set to launch in 2023.
Via the NBCUniversal partnership, known brands such as The Office, Blumhouse, Universal Monsters, and more will be a part of the vast Horizon Worlds landscape for fully immersive experiences that will land you front and center in the laughs and bone-chilling action. Further, Peacock, NBCUniversal’s streaming app, will launch its own app via the Meta Quest universe.
Source: Meta Quest / Meta
Meta also intends to expand its YouTube integration in the world of VR with an improved experience for users, including shared video viewing and the ability to work and browse while checking out YouTube via Horizon Home or in the Meta Quest 2 headset. But what really moved the needle in the news yesterday was the official announcement of the Meta Quest Pro. The headset had been teased for weeks but now we have full details on the new device.
Check out the blurb below from the Oculus blog:
The use of “Pro” is intentional. This is not Quest 3, though it is compatible with the existing Meta Quest library. That said, Meta Quest Pro is the first in a new line of advanced headsets, built to expand what’s possible in VR. Pancake lenses—a goal of ours for some time now—fold light over several times and let us reduce the depth of the optical module by 40% compared to Meta Quest 2, reducing the size of the overall headset while simultaneously leading to sharper and clearer visuals, including text. And at the back, our first-ever curved battery helps balance the weight of the lenses, making Quest Pro a more ergonomic headset overall.
Working in VR is also different from playing games. You don’t necessarily want or need to be sealed off from the world all day. There’s coworkers to talk to, dogs that need to be walked, documents that need to be referenced. Meta Quest Pro features a new, more open design that leaves your peripheral vision unobstructed. It’s less of a barrier between you and the world, more a part of the world around you—though you can use the included partial Light Blockers when a more immersive experience is necessary.
As you can see above, Meta Quest Pro isn’t meant to replace the Meta Quest 2 but is geared toward users who are into design and collaborative work environments. It also allows for more freedom to use as an all-day device unlike the more in-home experience offered by its predecessor. To learn more about all the things Meta Quest Pro can do, please click here.
Source: Meta Quest / Meta
Now, back to the fun. Gaming in VR is still one of the most accessible ways to enter the Metaverse and Meta Connect announced a bevy of big game titles that certainly piqued our interest such as Iron Man VR, Among Us VR, and much more. To read up on all the gaming titles coming to Meta Quest, including trailers, please click here.
There is a lot to cover here and we urge everyone to get to the nitty-gritty of all that was shared at Meta Connect 2022 by following this link.
In addition, you can watch the Meta Connect 2022 event again by clicking here.
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Photo: Meta