Meta launches Quest 3 VR and AR headset, just ahead of Apple’s Vision Pro

Meta Platforms has rolled out its Quest 3 headset and the second-generation smart glasses it developed with Ray-Ban

Apple is poised to release its Vision Pro mixed-reality headset in the coming months, setting up a showdown with Meta

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An attendee tries the Meta Quest 3 at the Connect developer conference in Menlo Park, California, on Wednesday. Photo: AP Photo

Published: 10:12am, 28 Sep 2023

Meta Platforms introduced its latest line-up of head-worn devices, staking fresh claim to the virtual- and augmented-reality industry just ahead of Apple pushing into the market.

The company officially unveiled the Quest 3 headset on Wednesday, raising the price by US$200 to US$500, at its annual Connect developers conference. It also introduced second-generation smart glasses that it developed with luxury sunglass maker Ray-Ban.

The Quest 3, which was previewed by Meta earlier this year after Bloomberg published a hands-on review of the device, offers improved performance over the Quest 2 from 2020. It also marks a pivot from VR to mixed reality, which melds virtual and augmented reality.

It is a high-stakes moment for Meta’s hardware business. Though the company has dominated VR goggles for years, Apple is poised to release its Vision Pro headset in the coming months, setting up a showdown. Like the Quest 3, the Vision Pro is a mixed-reality headset – though one with exclusive Apple technology and content. The Vision Pro will have Apple’s marketing muscle behind it, but also a much higher price: US$3,499.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks during the Connect developer conference. Photo: AP Photo

In addition to the competitive pressure, Meta also has struggled to sell consumers on the metaverse – a collection of interlocking online worlds that make use of its headsets.

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