Finally, the newsletters are back to normal! Let’s dive into the most interesting news of this week!
Top news of the week
Meta and Tencent are bringing the Quest to China
According to rumors, Meta and Tencent have reached an agreement to bring the Quest to China after a year of negotiation. However, instead of the Quest 3, a cheaper version of the VR headset will be distributed in China, possibly the rumored $199 Quest 3 Lite device. Tencent will start selling the headset in late 2024, with Meta receiving most of the device revenue and Tencent receiving most of the content revenue. This marks an important moment for Meta as it enters the massive Chinese market, although success is not guaranteed due to the complexities of the market.
More info (Tencent and Meta partner — Road To VR)
More info (Tencent and Meta partner — Upload VR)
Other relevant news
Samsung XR headset may come in H2 2024
Rumors suggest that Samsung, Google, and Qualcomm are collaborating on a headset codenamed “Infinite.” It is expected to be announced at a Samsung Unpacked event in the second half of 2024, with a release slated for December of the same year. Samsung plans to initially produce 30,000 units to gauge market interest. The late entry into the market may pose a challenge for Samsung to compete with Apple’s Vision Pro headset.
More info (Samsung headset coming in 2024)
More info (Samsung may announce its device at an Unpacked event)
Pico commits to offering “top-notch services”
Pico, following recent layoffs, is undergoing a restructuring. Despite shutting down Blitz Rhythm, Pico reassures users that it will continue to operate and provide top-notch services. While the consequences of the restructuring on the consumer business is unclear, Pico affirms its commitment to investing in hardware, core technologies, and enhancing the user experience.
More info (Bytedance’s answer about the future of Pico)
More info (Beat Saber clone on Pico just shut down)
Meta Horizon may have improved
Meta Horizon, Meta’s social world, appears to have improved according to user feedback on Reddit and Twitter. Recent content additions like Citadel and Super Rumble have garnered positive response, indicating that people are starting to enjoy their time in Meta’s social world. While it remains to be seen if Meta Horizon will truly win over the community, the positive changes signal progress for the platform.
More info (Reddit post claiming Horizon World is now cool)
More info (The debate that sparked from my X post)
News worth a mention
Spatial pivots toward social gaming
Spatial.io, a company known for its meeting application and NFT showcases, has pivoted once again. It aims to become a platform for social games similar to Roblox. While the company’s ability to pivot demonstrates innovation, frequent pivots may raise concerns.
More info
Some news on the Vision Pro
Various updates on Apple’s Vision Pro include positive reviews of Spatial Videos, 3D titles available on Apple TV Store, and WebXR compatibility exclusively for the Vision Pro. However, the lack of WebXR support for other Apple devices is disappointing.
More info (Spatial Videos)
More info (3D Content now available on Apple TV Store)
More info (Apple’s WebXR is only compatible with Apple Vision Pro)
Quest 2 price gets discounted to $250
Meta has aggressively reduced the price of the Quest 2 headset to $250 for the holiday season. This strategic move is expected to increase sales and attract more buyers.
More info (Quest 2 price reduced to $250)
More info (Nathie flagging the news)
Quest 3 may still be sold at a loss
A Chinese website released the Bill of Materials (BOM) for the Quest 3, revealing that the cost of components and manufacturing per device may be $428.22. Considering the headset’s price at $499, it is likely that the Quest 3 is sold at a loss, as the costs do not cover the device and research and development expenses.
More info
Meta has already invested $46B on the metaverse
Meta has invested a staggering $46B to build the metaverse, surpassing the revenues of a Fortune-500 company. This demonstrates the company’s commitment to developing the metaverse.
More info
Sonar-equipped glasses can perform full-body tracking
Cornell University researchers have developed experimental glasses with sonar sensors that track the upper-half body of users. This approach ensures privacy compliance and mitigates the risk of malicious exploitation compared to camera-based tracking.
More info
SteamVR Fest is back
Valve will host the Steam VR Fest on the Steam store from December 4th to December 11th. Gamers will have the opportunity to play demos of upcoming VR games for free during this period.
More info
Some news on content
- “CookieRun: The Darkest Night—Chapter 1” will bring the mobile game to Quest on November 30th
- VStreamer Live, available on App Lab, allows users to be VTubers directly from their Quest
- “The Wizards—Dark Times” will receive the free ‘Brotherhood’ update on November 28th
- “X8,” a 5v5 multiplayer hero shooter, has left early access
- “Pillow” by Lucas Rizzotto has been released for Quest and transformed into a mixed reality relaxation app
More info (CookieRun)
More info (VStreamer Live)
More info (The Wizards: Dark Times)
More info (X8)
More info (Pillow)
Some reviews on content
- “STRIDE: Fates” is an entertaining action game, but with drawbacks like an uninteresting story and enemies with bad AI
- “Big Shots” appears to be a solid mech game based on the preview with Upload
- “The Foglands” is a roguelike game for Quest that suffers from repetitiveness
- “Demeo Battles” is a very good game like Demeo, but the progression system is lackluster
More info (Stride: Fates)
More info (Big Shots)
More info (The Foglands)
More info (Demeo Battles)
Other news
Quest Casting 2.0 is the ideal solution for capturing widescreen videos of the Quest.
More info
Humane has launched its AI Pin device.
More info
OpenAI announced new features at its dev days.
More info
Hands-on with Almer Arc, a smart device for remote assistance.
More info
News from partners (and friends)
Don’t miss the XRSI Safety Week from December 10–15, focusing on safety, privacy, and inclusion in the metaverse.
Learn more
Infomediji Is Hiring!
Infomediji is seeking a Product Manager, Senior Unity Developer, and Backend PHP Developer (Core) to join their team.
Visit Website
Some XR fun
Check out the Chinese clones of the Apple Vision Pro that have appeared before the official release.
Funny link
Experience how typing in VR should be.
Funny link
Have fun in VRChat.
Funny link
Donate for good
Please consider donating to the Red Cross to support the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.
Support The Red Cross in Ukraine
(Original header image from Meta)
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