Meta (formerly Facebook) and Apple are both making significant strides in the exploration of metaverse applications by focusing on the development of virtual reality (VR) devices.
Meta recently announced its upcoming VR headset, the Meta Quest 3, which is set to be released in the fall of this year. This next-generation model boasts several exciting features, including higher resolution and enhanced performance.
What sets it apart is the integration of a cutting-edge Snapdragon chipset, developed in collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies. The new chipset delivers more than double the graphical performance of the previous generation Snapdragon GPU found in the Quest 2.
One of the key highlights of the Meta Quest 3 is its seamless blending of the physical and virtual worlds. Users will have the ability to interact with both physical objects in their environment and virtual content simultaneously. The headset will intelligently respond to objects in the real world, allowing for natural and intuitive navigation within physical spaces.
With a price tag of $499.99, the Meta Quest 3 will come equipped with 128GB of storage, providing users with ample space for their VR experiences.
Following in Meta’s footsteps, Apple is expected to make a big announcement at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference. Speculations suggest that Apple will unveil a new headset that combines real-world video footage with virtual environments. This advanced device is rumored to include over a dozen cameras for hand movement tracking and displaying live video feeds of the real world to users.
The headset will also feature ultra-high-resolution 8K displays and innovative eye-tracking technology.
Industry analysts anticipate that Apple’s device could have a hefty price tag of around $3,000 and might resemble a pair of ski goggles. However, it is believed that this initial offering from Apple serves as a placeholder, indicating their intent to enter the metaverse market with even more innovative products in the future.
Apple’s potential foray into the virtual world and Web3 represents a daring move for the company, considering its historical skepticism towards these technologies. In October 2022, Apple introduced revisions to its App Store Review Guidelines, implementing strict rules that outline what apps can and cannot do with regards to NFTs and cryptocurrencies.
In contrast, Meta appears to embrace the potential of Web3 and is unafraid of its transformative nature. Since Mark Zuckerberg unveiled the company’s new vision as “Meta,” Meta has shown a commitment to pushing boundaries, particularly in the realms of virtual and mixed reality. In line with this vision, Meta’s head of commerce and financial technologies announced the removal of NFT features from Facebook and Instagram in March, indicating a shift in focus towards other aspects of the metaverse.
