Meta VR glasses debut at $1,299, ships next spring
Meta introduced its new vr glasses at Connect, pitching a lighter, more portable device for movies, spatial computing and gaming. The company says the glasses…
MENLO PARK, Calif. — Meta introduced its vr glasses at its Connect event on Wednesday, unveiling a lighter device that the company says will start at $1,299.99 and ship next spring.
The launch marks another push by Meta to keep virtual reality hardware relevant after years of mixed consumer interest. This time, the company is betting that a slimmer form factor, entertainment features and a design that looks more like regular eyewear will matter more than a bulky headset.
Meta vr glasses target movies, gaming and spatial computing
Mark Zuckerberg said the company had decided to focus less on the metaverse for now and release fewer VR devices until it had “real breakthroughs.” He said, “This is a breakthrough,” before showing the glasses on stage.
Meta says the glasses are five times lighter than the Meta Quest 3. Fortune reported that Zuckerberg said they weigh 100 grams, while Engadget said they weigh a little less than 100 grams. The frame uses magnesium alloy, and the glasses run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Reality Elite processor.
The device is built for entertainment. Meta says the glasses are designed for cinematic experiences, spatial computing and gaming. TechCrunch reported that the lenses use micro-OLED panels for what Meta calls a 5K Infinite Display with 37 pixels per degree, along with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support. The company also said the glasses include IMAX compatibility.
Unlike a standalone headset, the glasses connect to a computing puck that doubles as a battery. Users can slip the puck into a pocket and take the device on the go, Meta said. Engadget reported that the puck handles processing, memory and storage, and weighs about 300 grams.
A direct shot at Apple’s Vision Pro
The new hardware arrives as Meta and Apple remain locked in competition. Fortune described the glasses as a clear shot at Apple’s Vision Pro headset, which it said has struggled as a consumer device because of its size, weight and price of around $3,700.
Meta also used the event to show the glasses in use. Fortune said the company played video of creators including Casey Neistat and NBA player Draymond Green reacting to the device, while the demo showed people watching an NBA game and switching between applications.
That positioning matters because Meta is still trying to prove that virtual reality can move beyond niche use. The company’s hardware has often carried the burden of convincing users to wear a headset for longer stretches. The new format aims to lower that barrier without giving up the immersive pitch.
Meta said the glasses are for cinematic viewing and gaming, while the separate puck keeps the wearable itself light enough to resemble a normal pair of glasses. The company did not present them as a replacement for every headset use case. It presented them as a different one.
The bigger test now is whether a pair of vr glasses can change the way people think about wearing immersive hardware. Meta says the answer begins next spring, when the $1,299.99 glasses are due to ship.
Source: theguardian.com
