Introduction: Apple’s launch of its new VR and AR headset definitely left an impression on the tech world, but also continues to influence the existing plans of other industry heavyweights. Among them is Meta, which is apparently moving with more speed and focus on its own augmented and virtual reality developments, even though the road to new devices and software solutions remains challenging.
Article: The business realm, especially at the very top of any given industry, looks very similar to the arena of international diplomacy. There, meetings and discussions take place almost constantly as all participants engage in never-ending jockeying for positions. In the tech and IT industries, the same situation can be found with almost any international company and even more when it comes to those businesses that are the leaders in their fields. Meta is one such company and at any given time, the same corporation is having a range of parallel discussions with its partners and competitors.
A recent failure of one such negotiation Meta was having with Google is particularly interesting, as it showcases a potential trend in the wider tech field of virtual reality and augmented reality. It points towards the fact that the recent launch of Apple’s new line of products, which is VR and AR headset Vision Pro, is still making ripples in the industry. Because of Vision Pro, Meta is likely looking to ramp up its production of VR hardware and software, as well as actively looking for major partners in those endeavors. For now, it looks like Google and its particular OS solution did not make the cut for Meta. But, the trajectory of the company behind the Quest headset line looks clear – its own development will kick into a higher gear in the coming period.
No Meta Devices with Android XR
At the beginning of March, Meta Platforms management decided not to forge a partnership with Alphabet, the parent company of Google. The two giants previously had discussions about the possibility of Meta employing the Android XR platform with its VR and AR devices. The same operating system is being developed by Google with the precise purpose of powering devices for augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality. That partnership would mean that new and even possibly existing Meta Quest headsets would use the same OS, instead of the present Android open-source version. However, the company of Mark Zuckerberg decided to pass on the same opportunity and instead develop its own operating system platform for spatial computations.
The negotiations between Meta and Alphabet did not take place in the limelight of public interest, nor did they involve a prolonged period of back-and-forth offers and counteroffers. Instead, it appears that Google was simply trying to expand its user base for Android XR with additional devices that could be brought into its fold. But, the fact that Meta entered the discussions shows a willingness and a desire to expand its VR and AR side of operations. That follows a generally consistent partner that Meta had set, but which is now likely under growing pressure from Vision Pro and its effect on the future headset market.
Meta’s VR and AR Roadmap
Meta’s leadership used an internal presentation to allow its VR and AR executives to present the company’s plans in these domains. The same roadmap goes all the way to the end of 2027 and it envisions no radical changes to the current company’s trajectory. Instead, it hopes to launch a range of new devices and software solutions that could help it fend off any market disruption from the likes of Apple or its new flagship mixed-reality headset. The first big news from Meta should come next year when the company plans to launch their smart glasses. These should be paired with a neural interface that would connect them to a smartwatch for direct user control. While these look like regular glasses – along with a presence of dual cameras in the top corner – they could be a big part of the mixed reality market. Before that, in 2024, Meta will launch the Quest 3 headset and is promising to keep it below $500. Additional Quest products should hit the market in the wake of Quest 3 as well. All the plans seem more than feasible, especially keeping in mind that Meta managed to sell about 20 million Quest headsets so far.
Pressure and Change
During the past decade, Mark Zuckerberg and his team never really relinquished the desire to have a strong presence in the VR market. This desire dates back to the notion of using social media like Facebook and making it into a metaverse-like 3D virtual reality environment. That is the reason why the company acquired Oculus Quest in the first place. Right now, those elements of social media interconnectivity seem to be somewhat stalling for Meta, but the development of VR and AR devices is gaining more impulse. The competitors are definitely putting pressure on the company as well. While Microsoft has an unclear mission statement and business objectives when it comes to virtual reality, other businesses are much clearer on that problem. Sony is adapting its PlayStation VR headset for PC users, making a direct attack on Meta Quest’s more affordable piece of the market.
Vision Pro, even though currently way above any Quest headset in terms of price, is making an impression on the users and the wider public. It is very likely that Apple will release a much cheaper version of Vision Pro, including one designed for gaming in particular, that will further threaten Meta’s position in the same commercial space. A Vision Pro gaming headset that is below $1,000 could easily catch the eye of many gamers, in particular those who are already using other Apple devices. Meta cannot allow itself to be complacent and the recent discussion with Google about Android XR shows that it is well-aware of this fact. At the same time, such a proactive approach from Meta is very positive for the wider VR and AR market. It shows that Mark Zuckerberg and the team are ready to invest in new technologies and expand their existing products so that it reaches more users. Additionally, such processes also expand the global user base as a whole, bringing more people into the VR and AR market. This is, ultimately, what all companies in the same domain need for long-term success, no matter who among them will get to lead the pack.
Autor:
Ivica Milaric
Game designer and game design teacher at the Academy of Arts, Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia