Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook, has released its VR roadmap, revealing its plans for the future of virtual and augmented reality. The company plans to release a series of new devices in the coming years, including smart glasses with a display, a neural interface smartwatch, and advanced AR glasses capable of projecting high-quality holograms onto the real world.
Smart Glasses Are On The Meta VR Roadmap
According to The Verge, Meta plans to launch its first pair of smart glasses with a display in 2025. These glasses will be accompanied by a neural interface smartwatch designed to control them. Meanwhile, the company’s first pair of full-fledged AR glasses is planned for 2027. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has predicted that these glasses will eventually be as widely used as mobile phones.
VR Efforts to Continue with Flagship Quest 3 Headset
Meta announced that its coming Quest 3 headset is 2x thinner and 2x+ as powerful as the Quest 2. The headset will also feature mixed reality experiences, partially immersing users, thanks to front-facing cameras allowing for real-world video. The company has sold nearly 20 million Quest headsets to date.
Meta Aims to Keep Investing in Consumer Hardware
Despite setbacks and broader cost cutting across the company, Meta is planning to keep investing in consumer hardware. The company aims to release a more “accessible” VR headset in 2024. Meta has codenamed it Ventura and it aims for a powerful punch at a good price point. Meta is also planning its most advanced headset, codenamed La Jolla, for the future.
Mixed Reality a Huge Selling Point for Quest 3
Mixed reality experiences will attract users for the Quest 3, with 41 new apps and games shipping for the device. The company is also pushing for better growth and retention, making social features more reliable and intuitive. Meta has built an early lead in virtual reality hardware, but competition is about to arrive. Apple has announced a high-end virtual reality headset sometime this year, while Sony has released the well-received PSVR 2 for console gamers.
Meta VR Roadmap In Conclusion
Meta’s VR roadmap reveals its plans to continue investing in consumer hardware, pushing boundaries in VR/AR. With a series of new devices set to launch in the coming years, including advanced AR glasses and a neural interface smartwatch, Meta aims to redefine our relationship with technology. Mixed reality experiences will be a major focus, with the Quest 3 headset set to feature front-facing cameras that pass through video of the real world. As the AR and VR markets foster competition, such as the competition between Quest 2 and PSVR 2, Meta poises itself to be a major player in the future of technology.