Welcome to the XR Week Peek, a special edition where I summarize the highlights of the Meta Connect event. During the event, Mark Zuckerberg launched the Quest 3, Ray-Ban Meta smartglasses, and new AI services. Although the Meta Connect was disappointing this year, I’ll still cover other juicy news for you.
Top news of the week
Meta launched Quest 3
The biggest news of the week is the launch of the Meta Quest 3 at the Meta Connect event. Although the event was underwhelming, the Quest 3 is a significant milestone. The headset comes with improved specifications and a focus on AI.
The Quest 3 specifications include:
- Resolution (per-eye): 2064 x 2208
- Display Type: LCD
- Refresh Rate: 120Hz
- Lens type: Pancake
- Processor: Snapdragon XR2 Gen2
- RAM: 8GB
- Battery Life: 2-3 hours
- Field of View: 110° horizontal, 96° vertical
- IPD Adjust: hardware-based
- Audio: integrated
- Weight: 509g
- Storage: 128GB or 512GB
- Connectivity: USB, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
- Tracking: inside-out
- Depth sensor: available
- Mixed Reality: full-RGB cameras for color 18 PPD passthrough
The Quest 3 is available for pre-order with prices starting at $499 for the 128GB version and $649 for the 512GB version. Shipping will begin on October 10th.
Other relevant news
Zuck’s interview as a Codec Avatar reignites interest in the metaverse
During the Meta Connect event, Mark Zuckerberg’s interview with Lex Fridman as a Codec Avatar generated significant excitement. It showcased the potential of Meta’s technology in connecting people. While the avatars still have room for improvement, it was a smart move to use them to demonstrate the concept of the metaverse.
Quest 3 is coming with a few accessories
Along with the Quest 3, Meta introduced accessories such as a charging dock, an Elite Strap, a carrying case, a Silicone Facial Interface, Active Straps for Touch Plus Controllers, VR Prescription Lenses, and a Quest-branded version of Razer’s noise-cancelling Hammerhead HyperSpeed earbuds.
Some content was announced for Quest 3, but not AAA games
While Meta announced some new games for the Quest 3, there were no major AAA releases. However, they showcased gameplay previews, announced the arrival of Roblox on the Quest Store, and revealed that Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will be available on the Quest in December. They also unveiled Augments, 3D widgets that can be added to enhance the mixed reality experience with the Quest 3.
Meta Quest Store had 2+ Billions of lifetime revenue
The Meta Quest Store reached over $2 billion in total revenue during its lifetime. However, recent data suggests a decline in spending on the store this year, which could be a concern for Meta.
Meta and Luxottica launched Ray-Ban Meta Glasses
Meta and Luxottica released the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, an improved version of the previous Ray-Ban Stories. The new glasses offer enhanced comfort, battery life, camera quality, audio recording, and playback. They also introduced features like live streaming on social media platforms and integration with Meta AI.
News worth a mention
Other notable news includes information leaks about Vive’s inside-out Tracker, the U2 concert in the Las Vegas dome, the beta release of Microsoft Mesh for Enterprise, and reviews of the Bigscreen Beyond headset. Additionally, Amazon announced new Echo Frames, Pimax introduced the Crystal Sim model, and there were updates from partners and friends such as LAWK One.
Some XR fun
For some XR fun, check out amusing tweets and images related to Meta Connect, humorous reviews, and entertaining posts within the XR community.
Donate for good
This week, I encourage you to support the Red Cross in Ukraine to provide humanitarian aid to those affected by the ongoing conflict. Your donation can make a difference in the lives of those in need.