- Meta and LG verify collaboration on “prolonged actuality (XR) ventures”
- This might imply a future Meta Quest Professional 2 makes use of an LG show
- Announcement additionally hints at team-up for “content material/service capabilities”
Following months of hypothesis and rumors – the newest of which got here literally days ahead of an official announcement – Meta and LG have confirmed that they’ll be collaborating on next-gen XR {hardware} (with XR standing for ‘prolonged actuality’ and being a catchall for VR, MR and AR). And I couldn’t be extra excited to see what their Apple Vision Pro rival seems like.
Whereas they didn’t expressly define what the collaboration entails, or what {hardware} they’ll be engaged on collectively, it appears all however assured that Meta’s subsequent VR headset – probably the Meta Quest Pro 2, however perhaps the Meta Quest 4 or different future fashions – will use LG’s show tech for its screens. This implies Meta would possibly lastly launch one other OLED Quest headset which guarantees some excellent visuals for our favourite VR software program.
Sadly, there’s additionally no point out of a timescale so we don’t know when the primary LG and Meta headset will probably be launched. However a number of current rumors have steered that the subsequent Quest headset (most likely the Professional 2) will launch in 2025; so we might see LG tech in Meta {hardware} subsequent yr if we’re fortunate.
We must always at all times take rumors with a pinch of salt, however these similar leaks teased the LG collaboration – so there’s a superb likelihood that they’re on the cash for the discharge date, too.
Past the potential for OLED Quest headsets, what’s significantly fascinating is a line within the press launch that mentions the need for the businesses to carry collectively “Meta’s platform with [LG’s] content material/service capabilities.” To me, that hints at greater than merely working collectively on {hardware}, but in addition bringing the LG TV software program expertise to your Meta headset as properly.
Extra than simply an OLED display
Precisely what this implies is but to be seen, but it surely might end in an entire host of TV apps reimagined for VR. For Meta, this might importantly imply lastly getting VR apps for one of the best streaming companies together with Disney Plus, Paramount Plus and Apple TV Plus – as properly working apps for Netflix, Prime Video and different companies which have Quest software program that’s virtually non-functioning.
These sorts of streaming apps are the one large software program space through which Meta has no reply to the Apple Vision Pro.
I’ve beforehand requested Meta if it had plans to carry extra streaming companies to Quest and a consultant instructed me it had “no further data to share at the moment.” I hoped this meant it had some type of reveal on the best way within the close to future, and it seems this LG announcement has answered my calls.
That stated, whereas the press launch actually teases some fascinating collaborations, till we truly see one thing in motion there’s no telling what kind Meta and LG’s partnership will take as a result of the announcement is (little doubt deliberately) slightly obscure.
There’s additionally an opportunity the LG-powered TV apps received’t supply the identical 3D film choice or immersive environments discovered on Imaginative and prescient Professional. Relying on how the apps are applied, 3D video won’t be doable – or maybe Apple has an unique deal for content material with these apps on its Imaginative and prescient Professional platform.
Regardless I’m fairly excited by the potential this announcement brings because it seems to reply two of my four biggest Meta Quest Pro 2 feature requests. Right here’s hoping the opposite two options observe go well with. In the event that they do (and the system isn’t astronomically dear) the Meta Quest Professional 2 may very well be my new favourite VR headset by a landslide.
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