Apple's Vision Pro does not present any major technological breakthrough that Meta hasn't "already explored", and the two companies' vision is different, Meta chief executive officer (CEO) Mark Zuckerberg told its employees, as reported by The Verge.
In a meeting at the company's Menlo Park office, Zuckerberg said that Meta's upcoming Quest 3 headset would be priced at a much lower $499 compared to Apple Vision Pro's $3,499.
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"From what I've seen initially, I'd say the good news is that there's no kind of magical solutions that they have to any of the constraints on laws of physics that our teams haven't already explored and thought of. They went with a higher resolution display, and between that and all the technology they put in there to power it, it costs seven times more and now requires so much energy that now you need a battery and a wire attached to it to use it," he said according to the full remarks included in the report by The Verge.
Meta launched its virtual reality headset Quest on May 21, 2019. It allowed the users to play games and run software wirelessly using an Android operating system. On October 12, 2020, the company launched Meta Quest 2. It was priced at $299. Last year, the company launched its Meta Quest Pro, starting at $1,499.99 in October.
According to media reports, Quest 3 is expected to be launched in October this year.
Quest 3 was announced last week, just days before Apple unveiled its Vision Pro.
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On the other hand, Apple debuted its AR headset named Vision Pro at its Worldwide Developers Conference 2023 (WWDC23) on June 5. It will cost $3,499 and is expected to come to markets in early 2024. Apple calls it a new kind of computer that augments reality by seamlessly blending the real world with the digital world.
Apple Vision Pro could be controlled using the hands, eyes, and voice. It would turn surroundings into an infinite canvas for you to use apps anywhere and in any size. The device has built-in cameras and sensors to capture photos and videos, and to interact with the digital world in spatial settings.
"But look, I think that their announcement really showcases the difference in the values and the vision that our companies bring to this in a way that I think is really important. We innovate to make sure that our products are as accessible and affordable to everyone as possible, and that is a core part of what we do. And we have sold tens of millions of Quests," Zuckerberg said at the event.
Meta has been trying to take the lead in the augmented reality space and has been investing billions of dollars every year into the effort. Its rebranding from Facebook Inc to Meta was also seen as a step to push in this direction. With Apple's new headset, the contest between the two tech giants will likely intensify.
On the competition, Zuckerberg said, "And seeing what they put out there and how they're going to compete just made me even more excited and in a lot of ways optimistic that what we're doing matters and is going to succeed. But it's going to be a fun journey."