Mark Zuckerberg’s company, Meta has Quest 3 and they have spent a lot of money developing virtual reality stuff, but they haven’t made much money back yet. Now they’re promoting their new product, the Quest 3 headset, as better than Apple’s Vision Pro. Zuckerberg himself made a video talking about it on Instagram. He said the Quest 3 is not only cheaper (starts at $500 compared to $3,500 for the Vision Pro) but also just better in general.
Mark Zuckerberg said the Quest 3 is better for most things people do with mixed reality, like playing games, hanging out with friends, and working out. He even said it’s more comfortable to wear, which is important because it’s lighter than the Vision Pro.
Meta’s Vision
Mark Zuckerberg also mentioned that Meta’s approach with its more open app model compared to the Vision Pro, which currently lacks native apps for Netflix or YouTube, offers a long-term advantage. He stated, “You know, some die-hard fans get upset whenever someone questions whether Apple will dominate a new category.” He explained that throughout the history of computing, there have been open and closed models, noting that in mobile, Apple’s closed model prevailed. However, Zuckerberg expressed his belief that in the next generation, Meta will champion the open model, emphasizing his desire for openness to prevail once more.
Openness in VR
Zuckerberg remarked on the differences between Quest 3 and Vision Pro, noting that Quest 3 offers a wider field of view and a brighter, crisper screen. While acknowledging that Apple’s headset boasts higher resolution, he pointed out the tradeoffs Apple had to make regarding the device’s quality, comfort, ergonomics, and other display aspects. He also praised Vision Pro’s eye-tracking features as “really nice” and indicated that Meta plans to reintroduce eye-tracking sensors, which were initially removed from the Quest, in future iterations.
The Quest 3 Revolutionary Entertainment
Apple’s latest innovation, the Vision Pro, boasts cutting-edge technology with its ultra-high-resolution displays. These displays pack in more pixels than your average 4K TV, providing an immersive experience like no other. Imagine watching your favorite movies and TV shows on a screen that makes you feel like you’re in a theater, with visuals that stretch out as if they were 100 feet wide! But that’s not all – Apple introduced a groundbreaking entertainment format called Apple Immersive Video. It transports you into the heart of the action with 180-degree, three-dimensional 8K recordings, accompanied by Spatial Audio for a truly captivating experience.
Apple’s New Vision Pro
Even before the Vision Pro hit the shelves, there was chatter in the tech world. Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, wasn’t shy about expressing his skepticism about Apple’s headset. During a Meta employee meeting in June 2023, just after Apple unveiled the Vision Pro at their Worldwide Developers Conference, Zuckerberg didn’t seem fazed. He played down the threat, highlighting the Vision Pro’s hefty price tag and suggesting that Apple’s solutions weren’t as magical as they seemed. He reassured his team, saying that Meta had already explored and considered all the challenges, whether they were technical or grounded in the laws of physics.
Meta’s Reality Labs Faces Bigger Losses in 2024
Meta recently talked about its fourth-quarter results for 2023. They mentioned that in 2024, they expect the Reality Labs division to lose more money compared to the previous year. This division includes things like the Quest AR/VR headset and projects related to the metaverse. The reason for the expected increase in losses is that Meta is spending a lot on developing new products in augmented reality/virtual reality and on expanding its ecosystem. In 2023, Reality Labs made $1.9 billion in revenue, which was a decrease of 12% from the previous year. The division also faced a bigger operating loss of $16.1 billion compared to $13.7 billion in 2022.
