Meta announced the Quest 3S, its latest virtual reality headset and a more affordable alternative to the Quest 3. Priced at $299, the headset will be available for purchase starting October 15, significantly lower than the Quest 3’s $499 entry point. The Quest 3S is designed for a variety of applications, from watching movies to running VR fitness apps and gaming, as highlighted during Meta’s Connect event in Menlo Park, California.
Positioned as a multitasking device, the Quest 3S competes directly with Apple’s $3,499 Vision Pro headset. Meta’s previous Quest models have been popular, with millions shipped, but the company acknowledges that VR has yet to achieve widespread cultural adoption or a robust software ecosystem. Since acquiring Oculus in 2014, Meta has invested over $65 billion in its hardware initiatives.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg expressed excitement about the Quest 3S, stating it represents a significant step for users new to VR. The “S” in Quest 3S stands for “start,” signaling the company’s aim to help users dive into virtual reality.
Key features of the Quest 3S include enhanced “passthrough” capabilities, allowing users to see their surroundings while wearing the headset, and a dedicated button for easy activation. Meta emphasizes its ability to multitask, showcasing demos where users can run multiple apps simultaneously, such as YouTube, a web browser, and Amazon Music on floating screens. However, early demos faced some technical issues, such as app crashes and unresponsive controls.
In addition to the Quest 3S, Meta announced a price reduction for last year’s Quest 3, bringing the cost of the 512GB version down to $500. The company will also discontinue the Quest Pro, its $999 headset, which struggled to gain traction in the market.
Looking to the future, Zuckerberg discussed the long-term vision for VR and augmented reality, emphasizing the eventual development of lightweight, transparent glasses that integrate digital information with the real world. He presented an early prototype called Orion, designed for internal testing, which allows for multitasking and video conferencing with realistic avatars.
Meta continues to innovate in the realm of smart glasses, having partnered with EssilorLuxottica on the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. These glasses feature a built-in camera and voice assistant, enhancing their functionality while maintaining a stylish appearance.
Finally, Meta introduced updates to its AI chatbot, enabling users to interact through natural voice commands across its platforms, further integrating voice technology into its ecosystem. The new features will roll out in the coming month for users in select countries, highlighting Meta’s commitment to expanding its AI capabilities.
