Meta's canceled Quest Pro 2 could pave the way for a major VR headset
redesign in 2027 and I'm all for it
Date:
Thu, 29 Aug 2024 20:30:29 +0000
Description:
Meta may have reportedly canceled one Quest Pro 2, but a different version could still be coming in 2027.
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Meta may have reportedly dumped its plans to launch a Meta Quest Pro 2 in 2027, but that doesnt mean it wont be serving mixed reality goodness that year. According to a new report, we could see a pair of light mixed reality glasses codenamed Puffin launch instead, and if the leaks are true Puffin sounds like a fantastic alternative to the canceled headset.
Once again coming via The Information (behind a paywall) who also shared details of the La Jolla cancellation (the VR headset project likely set to be the Quest Pro 2) Puffin is described as a 110g device thatll look like
opaque glasses offering VR and MR experiences using pancake lenses and passthrough cameras.
To cut the weight so dramatically for context the Meta Quest 3 is 515g Meta would shift the battery and most computing hardware into a puck thats
tethered to the headset via a wire that Meta hopes will fit in a persons pocket. Whats more, Puffin wont offer controllers in the box, with it reportedly relying solely on hand tracking with The Information adding it
may use a version of the Vision Pros gaze-and-pinch control scheme,
suggesting Puffin will boast eye tracking.
This would be entirely different from anything Meta has launched before, but with Puffin seemingly set to focus on watching media and being used for productivity like the Apple Vision Pro I wouldnt be shocked if this device launched using the Meta Quest Pro rather than adopting an all-new title so that it has a Pro name that marks it as a direct competitor to Apples device. A Meta Quest Pro 2 I could love
I think the Vision Pros tethered battery was a smart weight-saving idea, and moving even more of a headsets hardware to an external puck seems like a logical evolution to allow for even greater weight-saving. Weve already seen something similar with some of the best AR smart glasses (like the Xreal Air
2 ) working by being tethered to a phone or device like the Xreal Beam Pro . Is Meta taking a page out of Xreal's book? (Image credit: Future)
The idea makes extra sense if the headset is dedicated to more static entertainment and/or productivity tasks. Wearing a 110g headset for a whole two-hour movie (or longer film) or for a day of work would be a much easier task than with a headset weighing over 500g I should know I tried wearing
the Meta Quest Pro for a whole week over a year ago and didnt love the pain
in my neck it caused.
The only detail were left in the dark about is the cost, but considering La Jolla was apparently canceled because Meta couldnt keep it under the original Meta Quets Pros price ($999.99 / 999.99 / AU$1,729.99) I suspect Metas aiming for a similar target with Puffin. Though as with all rumors, we should take these details with a pinch of salt. Given the recent reports of Metas La
Jolla project cancellation, theres a chance that even if Puffin has been greenlit it could face the same fate at some point between now and the end of 2027.
But I seriously hope Puffin sees the light of day. This bold redesign is exactly what Ive wanted to see from a Meta Quest Pro 2 , and if it does
launch with that name attached Puffin sounds like it could live up to the originals promise in a serious way. You might also like Meta Quest 3S: everything we know about the leaked cheap VR headset Rumored Samsung XR headset appears on Geekbench These are the best virtual reality headsets you can buy
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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/computing/virtual-reality-augmented-reality/metas-ca nceled-quest-pro-2-could-pave-the-way-for-a-major-vr-headset-redesign-in-2027- and-im-all-for-it
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