Technology giant Meta plans to launch at least four new VR headsets by 2024, according to a report in The information. Two headsets are focused on work and productivity (Project Cambria and Funston), while the other two are new versions of the Quest headset (Project Stinson and Cardiff) for gaming.
We have already known Project Cambria, a VR / AR device that is “more focused on work cases.” Cambria reportedly wants a high-resolution screen to make reading text easier on the eyes. The idea is that you can send emails or work with code without taking off the headset, which ultimately replaces the need for a screen at your desk.
The report indicates that Cambria has outward-facing cameras capable of full-color passthrough, so users can see their surroundings in real time, and the headset’s OS can implement different virtual overlays depending on the app. That would be a big step up from the current pass-through mode on Quest, which gives you a grainy view of your surroundings.
Built-in sensors will be able to do things like track the user’s eye movements and track facial expressions. Cambria will be heavier than Quest 2 because it will have a larger battery at the back and designed to be more comfortable to wear over long periods such as a full working day. According to The Information, employees of Meta have referred to this headset as a “laptop for the face”.
The report states that Project Funston will be an updated version of Cambria expected to be released in 2024. Project Cambria was due to be released last year but was delayed until later this year due to supply chain issues.
On the VR gaming front, there is not much information about the new Quest headsets other than that Meta plans to release them in 2023 and 2024. The first will be an advanced VR headset, with a new budget model coming next year.
We loved Quest 2 when we reviewed it, so the idea of a more comfortable headset with better graphics sounds very appealing to us. It will be interesting to see if any of the augmented reality features in Cambria will also find their way into these new headsets. Meta clearly has a vision of the workplace of the future, which to a large extent involves us taking meetings inside the metaverse, regardless of whether someone actually wants to or not.
Project Cambria is scheduled for September and will cost at least $ 800, which means it could cost close to triple the price of Quest 2.