Facebook Connect: New Headset Next Year, Meta Rebranding, and More

[Tbone]

Today was the start of Oculus Facebook Meta Connect.

Most of it was talking about their dream for the Metaverse and how they plan to connect people in VR, AR, and a mix of both and create everything you think of when you think of the Metaverse. All of this is 5-10 years away, though they do have a few launched apps (their Horizon stuff) that is the initial building blocks. They're so dedicated to the cause of building the Metaverse that they are renaming their company to "Meta", so...there ya go. No more Oculus but also no Facebook branding either.

They did tease the launch of a new "high end" headset coming sometime next year, titled Project Cambria for the moment. All we know is it will have face and eye tracking, new optics using "pancake lenses", and additional sensors for a better passthrough that will be in color and allow for Mixed Reality. More details coming next year. They basically said this will be a separate product line that's more expensive that the Quest product line but will have more features.

No real announcements on the AR front other than to say they have a two pronged approach of seeing what they can fit into a glasses form factor now while working on features that they hope to get to a glasses form factor sometime in the future. Their only launched product are glasses that can take pictures and videos and play music (no screen).

The other thing to note is a VR port of GTA: San Andreas which will be coming, I believe, EXCLUSIVELY to the Quest 2 (similar to Resident Evil 4 which was just released). It seems if you want the best of what Oculus Facebook Meta has to offer, you'll eventually have to commit to their product line instead of depending on workarounds like ReVive.

[Ash]

Will they still require that you have a Facebook account in order to use their product?  If so, then unfortunately count me out.

[Tbone]

Will they still require that you have a Facebook account in order to use their product?  If so, then unfortunately count me out.

No, they are phasing out that requirement.

https://kotaku.com/hooray-oculus-quest-devices-no-longer-require-facebook-1847963909

I believe they've already taken away the Facebook Messenger icon from the Quest interface (replacing it with the Oculus version again). You will probably still need what will ultimately be called a Meta account (similar in function to an Oculus account) but you won't be required to link it with a social media profile. This info probably deserves its own post, honestly.