You will have seen the rumors that Meta has canned growth on the Meta Quest Professional 2, a follow-up to the VR headset we gave 4 stars in our Meta Quest Pro review. However Meta has now denied that is the case, even when this doesn’t imply we should always anticipate it to launch anytime quickly.
Responding to the stories, Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth took to Instagram Tales – the video was reposted to Twitter by one other consumer – to clarify that the Quest Professional 2 isn’t canceled as a result of it doesn’t technically exist but.
Boz is getting bored with rumors lol https://t.co/HGB6Njy9va pic.twitter.com/qDGXFMtBrdJuly 21, 2023
As we’ve written earlier than, Meta is continually engaged on prototype VR headsets that will by no means see the sunshine of day (besides as demos at tech conferences for us to try out).
Bosworth defined that till Meta decides which of its prototypes is “proper,” accelerates the event, and will get it out the door it doesn’t get a correct identify. That’s why the Meta Quest Professional was referred to as Undertaking Cambria till it was able to launch as a result of it wasn’t the Professional in Meta’s eyes till it was.
Whereas the language used isn’t confirming something explicitly, Bosworth provides that the stories are probably a few prototype mission that will have been canceled. This mission may have been set to turn out to be the Quest Professional 2 down the road however – in a approach that is considerably splitting hairs – it isn’t the Quest Professional 2 but, so we technically can’t say the Professional 2 has been canceled.
Complicated clarification apart, it’s most likely not a foul factor if Meta continues to be on the drafting board stage for the Quest Professional 2. The VR area has modified lots because the unique Quest Professional launched final yr, and it might be a very good factor to attend and launch the best Quest Professional 2 moderately than speeding one out.
I’ve beforehand written that the Quest 3 is one thing of a slap in the face for Quest Pro owners. Sure, the Professional has many benefits the Quest 3 lacks – like its counterbalanced weight design, eye-tracking, and improved show – however in a very powerful methods proper now the Quest 3 will take the lead.
It’s going to supposedly be Meta’s “strongest headset but” with higher processors and improved blended actuality – probably the most helpful Quest Professional options given the present state of VR.
Sure, new tech will at all times supplant older fashions and produce cool options down in value (and that’s a very good factor for making tech extra accessible), however I’d by no means anticipate the budget-friendly iPad (2023) to rock an M3 and beat the considerably dearer iPad Pro (2022).
Everybody who purchased the iPad Professional (or Quest Professional) will really feel ripped off as if that they had waited barely a yr they’d get one thing higher for lots much less – Quest Professional homeowners who purchased it at launch may have spent $1,000 / £1,000 / AU$900 greater than Quest 3 homeowners, when that headset launches.
I’ve argued that I don’t assume Meta ought to energy down the Quest 3 or make it dearer (ideally, it should nonetheless be near the Quest 2’s $299 / £299 / AU$479 launch value). As an alternative, Meta ought to consider carefully about the way it approaches a Quest Professional 2. This present state of affairs makes me assume it’s being extra cautious.
If Meta goes to create a Quest Professional 2 – and provides it a considerably increased price ticket than the common Quest 3 – it wants to verify it’s a next-level machine that deserves the excessive price not solely at launch however till the Quest Professional 3 arrives.
If the Quest 4 releases and as soon as once more blows the Quest Professional 2 out of the water in key areas like their predecessors, Meta will educate us that the Professional line isn’t value listening to as one thing a lot better (and cheaper) is on its approach quickly.
Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional: the brand new participant within the recreation
On the similar time, Meta could be sensible to see what reactions to the Apple Vision Pro are like.
The Imaginative and prescient Professional is trying prefer it’ll be a really next-level XR headset (XR being a catchall for VR, AR, and blended actuality) with an all-new management scheme and two processors (an M2 and an R1) moderately than one – giving it the identical energy as most of the best MacBooks and Macs. Additionally it is ridiculously costly, coming in at $3,499 (round £2,800 / AU$5,300) to assist Apple afford these main upgrades.
Due to this sky-high value, I don’t anticipate many individuals will choose one up, however I could possibly be confirmed incorrect if Apple’s builders launch some unimaginable must-have software program. Regardless of how a lot success Apple’s headset sees, nevertheless, Meta will need to see how the rival headset festivals earlier than launching its Quest Professional 2.
If individuals are keen to pay extra for a revolutionary product, Meta might need to take this into consideration and launch a Quest Professional 2 that extra carefully resembles the efficiency (and value) of the Imaginative and prescient Professional. If the Imaginative and prescient Professional is simply too expensive and unpopular, Meta might need to maintain its Quest Professional 2 at a comparatively low price as a substitute – albeit with much less important enhancements.
With the Imaginative and prescient Professional not anticipated to launch till early 2024, I’d be stunned if we noticed a Meta Quest Professional 2 till a minimum of early 2025, perhaps even later. A later launch date wouldn’t solely give Meta time to develop the Meta Quest Professional 2 we would like, however it might give the Meta Quest 3 time to breathe earlier than we begin build up hype for the following Meta headset. However as with all hypothesis, we’ll have to attend and see what Meta formally declares – till then we’ll don’t have any concrete concept of what it has up its sleeves.
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