surprise launch before the highly anticipated Apple headset

Meta has just created a surprise by officializing the Meta Quest 3, its new mixed reality headset. Mark Zuckerberg’s firm is cutting the grass under the foot of Apple, which is due to unveil its first headset in a few days.

Thunderclap on the planet metaverse and it does not come from Apple. While the Cupertino firm is preparing to make its first mixed reality headset official, Meta is creating a sensation by announcing the Quest 3. The parent company of the social network, which changed its name in October 2021 to better dedicate itself to its ambitious metaverse project (or metavers), knows that this revolution is going through mixed reality. Recall that the latter mixes virtual reality and augmented reality.

For Meta, Apple has everything from the ultimate competitor in the field of metaverse. The two bosses, Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Cook, don’t really like each other and Meta may fear Apple’s strike force. So rather than wait, the social media giant has decided to make the Meta Quest 3 official. A half surprise insofar as a grip on the journalist Mark Gurman aroused a certain enthusiasm. It must be said that the Bloomberg journalist, a specialist in the Apple universe, had delivered positive first impressions.

Mark Zuckerberg makes Quest 3 official

On Instagram, Mark Zuckerberg has just confirmed the existence of the Quest 3. As expected, this consumer headset promises mixed reality in color and high definition. The Meta Quest 3 wants to be 40% thinner and more comfortable than its predecessor, which tends to confirm Mark Gurman’s first impressions.

Unsurprisingly, this Quest 3 becomes the most powerful Meta headset to date thanks to the presence of a latest generation Snapdragon solution. Designed in collaboration with Qualcomm, it accompanies a headset with a high definition screen and new optics. The firm specifies that it offers graphics performance twice that of the Snapdragon GPU present in the Quest 2. An interesting gain to gain fluidity and performance in games.

The photo above confirms the existence of three new areas on the front for the sensors. They have four uniformly distributed cameras, two of which are dedicated to color.

The headset relies on Meta Reality technology to mix the physical world and the virtual world. “These new experiences go beyond the current mixed reality,” says the American firm. The latter also confirms that the Touch Plus controllers have been completely redesigned for greater comfort. These new controllers also feature the TruTouch haptic device previewed on the TouchPro. The Quest 3 is compatible with the Quest 2 catalog, offering access to more than 500 games, applications and VR experiences.

Less than 500 dollars (570 euros in France) and a surprise

The Meta Quest 3 will be available this fall in many countries, including France. It will be offered from $ 499.99 in its 128 GB version. It will be available from us at the price of 569.99 euros. A version with more storage will also see the light of day and Meta promises to say more in the fall.

At the same time, Meta announces a reduction in the price of the Quest 2. As of June 4, it will be sold for $ 299.99 in its 128 GB version. Recall that this model had experienced a price increase in the summer of 2022, but now it must give way to its successor.