Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO and Founder of Meta, and Angela Cheng, the Quest Product Team Lead, took the virtual stage at Connect 2022 on Tuesday to introduce the hotly anticipated Meta Quest Pro.
The VR revolution is underway. We’ve designed an all-new headset packed with advanced tech and geared for productivity, creative work and collaboration. This is Meta Quest Pro, available 10.25. Pre-order today. https://t.co/YaFHvwYHlG pic.twitter.com/cBagf0TSGp
— Meta Quest (@MetaQuestVR) October 11, 2022
The Meta Quest Pro is a follow-up to the massively popular Quest 2 virtual reality (VR) headset, although the latest device now supports mixed reality (MR) visuals and experiences.
MR devices overlay immersive visuals over a user’s environment, merging the physical and virtual worlds, enabling users to seamlessly transition from an augmented overlaid experience to a fully immersive VR space. Meta initially tested MR passthrough experiences on its previous devices.
However, with the Quest Pro, the Menlo Park-based firm is diving deep into creating an ecosystem for new MR content powered by the Presence Platform operating system (OS).
In an exclusive comment, Andrew Hawken, the CEO and Co-Founder of Mesmerise said:
The release of the Meta Quest Pro headset accelerates the pace of adoption, marking a significant turning point for VR technology. New features like facial tracking and full color passthrough will allow for a more seamless transition between the real world and VR, helping to usher in a new era where VR integrates into our daily lives alongside our smartphones and tablets.
The announcement occurred during the Meta Connect 2022 digital showcase highlighting the firm’s extended reality (XR) innovations.
What is in the Meta Quest Pro?
The Quest Pro is the first Meta product to use the Snapdragon XR2 chipset, giving the new device 50 percent more processing power than previous models. The chipset integration comes via a deep partnership with Qualcomm, which designed the innovative XR chipset.
Meta also redesigned the Quest Pro’s optical stack, which is 40 percent thinner than the Quest 2. The device uses a set of pancake lenses to fold light, putting more pixels into the LCD for a sharper display.
Zuckerberg notes that the display has 37 percent more pixels per inch than the Quest 2. Additionally, the Quest Pro’s display contains 75 percent more contrast thanks to new dimming technology.
The device also has a curved cell battery at the back of the head strap for a “perfect” balance.
Zuckerberg also introduced the device’s new touch controllers, which self-track in 3D space without needing onboard headset sensors. Meta also introduced True Touch haptics for an enhanced range of feedback.
The controllers also come packed with a removable stylus that assists users in writing on a digital whiteboard for immersive meeting scenarios or creating a 3D sketch file.
The Meta Quest Pro package also has a charging dock for the headset and controllers, eliminating the need for batteries.
MR for Productivity
The Quest Pro uses high-resolution passthrough cameras, which capture four times as many pixels as the Quest 2, and an additional RGB camera than turns passthrough images into colour. The device also has a depth system which learns user environments to display MR visuals that react to the real world.
Zuckerberg said,
“MR is the next major step for VR and a major stepping stone for the creation of the Metaverse”
Color mixed reality and enhanced social presence with expressive avatars will be a game changer for a number of use cases across productivity, collaboration, and creativity — we can’t wait to get this in the hands of more people pic.twitter.com/yW33QZbgz7
— Boz (@boztank) October 11, 2022
Meta has already rolled out MR content creation tools on the previous Meta Quest 2 model so developers can get ready to debut content on the latest tailor-made MR device.
To maintain a seamless transition from the physical world to a virtual MR passthrough space, Meta designed the new headset with open-side peripheries that enable users to be more aware of the world around them.
The feature lets users interact with the real world while entering MR spaces. For example, a user can write a note while participating in a virtual meeting. On the other hand, the device contains magnetic light blockers, which block out the real world for a fully immersive VR space.
The CEO also added,
“These [MR] experiences are so compelling that you really want a device that is designed from the ground up with them in mind”
Zuckerberg notes that the device contains scene-anchoring technology that transforms real-world objects into an MR asset.
The device also debuts Movement SDK, a system for transforming user expressions into avatar gestures. Meta currently uses spatial audio and immersive graphics to create a sense of social presence.
However, the new SDK will enable Meta to add facial and body language to its avatars to facilitate more realistic virtual meetings.
