What is a metaquest?
In a world where the adoption of virtual reality and extended reality solutions is exploding, this may seem like an unusual question.
As of 2023, approximately 171 million people worldwide are using VR headsets. Most people have probably already heard of ‘Meta’, the world’s leading technology company, and ‘Quest’, its line of VR headsets.
However, many people are still confused about what a ‘quest’ is. After all, Meta may be a behemoth in today’s extended reality landscape, but it’s still a relatively “new” brand.
If you’re confused about the Quest product line, this complete guide will answer all your questions.
What is a metaquest? The Basics
Meta Quest is a line of extended reality products created by Meta Platforms, formerly known as Facebook Inc. In 2021, Facebook is best known as a social media giant responsible for solutions like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
After some business problems, including several scandals, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced a complete rebranding of the “Facebook” company. The new name, “Meta,” was chosen to represent the new focus on immersive reality and the “metaverse.”
Many of Facebook’s assets retained their original brands, but the “Oculus” brand, previously acquired by Facebook in 2014, adopted a new name.
The transition to a new brand paves the way for Facebook to dive deeper into the world of immersive technology.
The first “Meta Quest” headset was released in 2019, followed by the much more powerful Meta Quest 2 in 2020.
Is Meta Quest the same as Oculus Quest?
Oculus was first founded in 2012 by a group of independent developers and hardware enthusiasts. It was funded through a Kickstarter campaign and quickly grew to raise $921 million through multiple funding rounds.
In 2014, Facebook acquired Oculus for $2 billion. Originally, Oculus was known for headsets like the Oculus Rift, followed by the Oculus Go and Oculus Quest.
As the Facebook brand evolved into Meta, the Oculus ‘Quest’ headset became the ‘Meta Quest’ headset. In 2020, the tech company also introduced a new “Reality Labs” division. Reality Labs will be responsible for all of the brand’s VR and AR hardware and software initiatives, from the new Quest devices to Horizon Worlds.
The term “Meta Quest” now refers to a full line of immersive headsets built to provide interactive “3D” experiences to a wide range of users.
product collection
Like many XR innovators, Meta has updated its product portfolio several times in recent years. When the first Quest was released, global VR usage had yet to gain momentum. Oculus was one of the few leaders in an immature market.
Since unveiling its rebrand, Meta has sought to become a leader in the extended reality and “metaverse” space. Let’s take a closer look at the various products that have appeared in the collection so far.
What is a metaquest? first quest headset
The first Meta Quest headset, released in 2019, was a rebranded version of Oculus with the same name. At the time, it was one of the most exciting consumer VR headsets. It has the same features that the Oculus VR company designed for the Quest collection.
The initial headset solved some of the problems Oculus had previously had with the “Oculus Go,” one of the first standalone VR headsets that didn’t require a tethered console or PC. Although this was a pioneering device, it had limited location tracking and controller capabilities.
This led the Meta team to develop a version of Quest released in 2019 with six degrees of freedom, position tracking, and intuitive hand controls. Unfortunately, this version of the quest is no longer available on Meta.
What is MetaQuest 2?
In 2020, Meta released a new version of the Quest that introduced major upgrades to its previous VR headset. The Quest 2 shares the original Quest’s standalone design, but features a variety of new components, such as the Snapdragon XR2 platform for processing power.
Meta Quest 2 can handle high-end apps and games and offers significantly higher resolution per eye than its predecessor. It also includes options for higher refresh rates, resulting in a smoother, more realistic virtual experience.
Quest 2 also comes with pass-through options for safety, advanced hand tracking, and powerful built-in sensors.
What is MetaQuest 3?
This new headset, which is currently the latest version of the Meta Quest headset (at the time of writing), was revealed by Reality Labs in June 2023 and released in October 2023. Although it looks similar to Quest 2, Meta Quest 3 also features a variety of upgrades.
It comes with a stylish, ergonomic controller that lacks the tracking ring used in previous devices. It also features a display of 2064 x 2208 pixels per eye, compared to the 1382 x 1920 pixel lens of the previous model. Meta updated the single-element Fresnel lens to a pancake lens, upgraded the refresh rate, and updated the Snapdragon XR2 processor to the “Gen 2” version.
Additionally, unlike Meta Quest 2, which only allows black and white, the latest version supports full color passthrough for mixed reality. The tech company plans to upgrade the Quest 3 with additional features like full-body tracking.
What is MetaQuest Pro?
Meta Quest Pro is a version of the Meta Quest headset designed specifically for business users. Like the Quest 3, it features full color pass-through, pancake optics, and advanced internal cameras for eye, face, and hand tracking.
Quest Pro outperforms the Quest 2 headset with a 75% better color contrast experience, TruTouch haptics for virtual interactions, and new sensors like an ambient light sensor. However, it is not as advanced as the Quest 3 in terms of display resolution.
However, Meta says both the Quest 2 and Quest Pro will see significant performance improvements to match the Quest 3.
wider ecosystem
The Meta Quest ecosystem isn’t just comprised of a variety of hardware options. It also includes all apps and experiences created by the Reality Labs team. The Meta Quest Apps Lab now has over 1,000 different applications for gaming, collaboration, and more.
The ecosystem also includes a “Quest Developer Center” with access to hubs, dashboards, and companion tools that streamline the creation of XR experiences. Meta also has its own “Presence Platform” for developers interested in mixed reality.
Additionally, developers have access to tools like WebXR to create immersive content for web, mobile, and VR devices, as well as PWAs for 2D VR applications.
What are your future plans? The future of VR
Since Facebook transformed into ‘Meta’, the MetaQuest ecosystem has developed at an incredible speed. Even as the tech giant struggles with its XR vision, lays off employees at Reality Labs and reduces its focus on the metaverse, the Quest lineup continues to evolve.
Rumor has it that Meta plans to launch its first set of smart glasses along with a smartwatch with a neural interface in 2025.
There is limited insight into the future roadmap for the Quest ecosystem at this time. Meta has told consumers it plans to upgrade existing devices with new software and patches in the coming years, but it’s difficult to know what’s coming next.
The future could include everything from new headsets like the “Quest 4” and “Quest 5” to new AR glasses and innovative software solutions. Meta is already working to create advanced avatars for Metaverse experiences and apps that will allow people to collaborate and communicate more effectively in extended reality.