Tag: VR

The metaverse winter seems far from over, or rather, Meta has finally decided to adjust its exorbitant investment strategy. According to a Bloomberg report, as previously expected, Meta has begun laying off over 1000 employees at its Reality Labs division, responsible for virtual reality and metaverse products. An internal memo from Meta's CTO, Andrew Bosworth, indicates that the division's future focus will shift significantly towards developing AI wearable devices such as the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. This strategic shift after burning through $700 billion is not surprising. Since Mark Zuckerberg's major move to rename the company Meta in 2021 and his all-out bet on the metaverse, Reality Labs has accumulated losses exceeding $700 billion. While Meta's Quest series of headsets has gained some traction in the consumer market, its profitability is clearly far from sufficient to cover the massive R&D and operational losses. Faced with investor pressure and the rise of the AI ​​wave, Meta has finally had to confront reality. The ambitious "metaverse" vision of Meta must be streamlined due to the lack of killer apps and lower-than-expected hardware adoption. Embracing "Mobile Devices" and AI Glasses: According to reports, Meta's future metaverse plan will focus on "Mobile Devices." This refers not only to mobile apps but also to lightweight wearable devices that are highly integrated with mobile phones. Andrew Bosworth wrote in a memo, "Given the larger potential user base and faster growth rate, we are almost entirely shifting our team and resources to mobile devices to continue accelerating adoption in this area." This means that compared to bulky VR headsets, smart glasses like the Ray-Ban Meta, which combine cameras, audio, and AI assistants, are becoming Meta's new favorite due to their portability and practicality. VR Division Becomes "Flatter," Quest Successor May Be Delayed? As for the VR headset business, while Meta hasn't completely abandoned it, Andrew Bosworth indicated that the division will operate more streamlined and with a flatter organization, adopting a more focused product roadmap to maximize long-term sustainability. This statement suggests that Meta may slow down the development of high-end VR hardware. In other words, players hoping to see a successor to the Quest 3 or a higher-end Pro version update soon may be disappointed. Analysts believe that over the past few years, Meta has been trying to create a virtual world that immerses people...

Last year, Meta announced the opening of its VR operating system, Horizon OS, and brought in ASUS and Lenovo as its first partners, aiming to create an "Android alliance" for the VR industry. However, this plan seems to have encountered a major setback. Reports indicate that Meta has confirmed it has "suspended" this third-party VR headset collaboration project, meaning that we will not see a gaming VR headset under the ROG brand, or a mixed reality device from Lenovo focused on improving work productivity, in the short term (or forever). Meta: Focus on its own business. Meta recently confirmed that its current strategy has shifted to focusing on "building the world-class first-party hardware and software needed to drive the VR market," meaning it will concentrate its resources on its own Quest series products rather than diverting attention to assisting partners in developing hardware. Back in 2024, when the collaboration was first announced, ASUS originally planned to launch a gaming VR headset under the ROG brand, while Lenovo planned to develop a mixed reality (MR) device focused on "productivity, learning, and entertainment," continuing its ThinkPad or Yoga brand positioning. However, since their announcement, neither manufacturer has released any specific product details. Now that the plans have been halted, these two products are likely to remain shelved. Resource Restructuring: Metaverse Loses Favor, AI Glasses Become the New Favorite. This decision is not without precedent. After all, at this year's Meta Connect conference, Meta focused almost entirely on smart glasses, barely mentioning the Quest series VR headsets. On the other hand, with the strong sales of the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in collaboration with Ray-Ban, coupled with the appealing experience of the Orion holographic projection glasses prototype, Meta seems to have found a more accessible entry point to the mass market than bulky VR headsets. A previous Bloomberg report also indicated that Meta is cutting budgets for its VR and Horizon Worlds teams and shifting some resources to its AI glasses and wearable device division. Despite this, Meta emphasizes that it has not completely abandoned its metaverse strategy, stating that it remains committed to long-term development and will re-evaluate opportunities for third-party device collaborations as product categories evolve.

Following the official launch of its virtual reality headset, the Galaxy XR, last month, Samsung is reportedly planning to further enhance the connectivity of its wearable device ecosystem. Developers have discovered clues in the latest Galaxy Ring Manager app code that allow the Galaxy Ring smart ring to control the Galaxy XR device. The code reveals "glasses gestures," transforming the ring into a controller. In the latest update to the Android version of the Galaxy Ring Manager app, a string of code titled "ring gesture for glasses" appeared. While the string explicitly uses the word "glasses," this may mean that the feature is reserved for the future, lighter Galaxy XR smart glasses. However, it's also highly likely that it will first be applied to Samsung's recently launched Galaxy XR headset, indicating that Samsung intends to transform the Galaxy Ring from a simple health monitoring device into an auxiliary input tool for spatial computing devices. Extending the double-pinch gesture to address XR input pain points: The Galaxy Ring already features simple gesture controls, allowing users to perform actions like taking photos or turning off alarms on connected Galaxy smartphones using a double-pinch gesture. Extending this functionality to Galaxy XR devices would significantly improve ease of use. In Mixed Reality (MR)...

Ahead of SIGGRAPH 2025 in Vancouver, Canada, Meta showcased its new virtual reality headsets, including the "Tiramisu," designed for hyperrealistic VR, and the "Boba 3," designed for hybrid and virtual vision, both aimed at enhancing immersion in large scenes and dynamic interactions. The "Tiramisu," designed for hyperrealistic VR, boasts three times the contrast of the current Quest 3, 14 times the peak brightness, and 3.6 times the visual resolution, translating to 1400 nits of brightness and 90 PPD (pixels per degree). Developed primarily by the Optics, Photonics, and Optical Systems (OPALS) team at Meta Reality Labs Research, the "Tiramisu" aims to create an immersive experience that passes the "visual Turing test," making virtual reality virtually indistinguishable from the real world. Optical research scientist Wang Xuan stated, "Our mission is to provide the best possible image quality." However, achieving ultimate image quality comes with technological trade-offs. The "Tiramisu" has a field of view of only 33 degrees x 33 degrees, far smaller than the Quest 3's 110-degree horizontal field of view and 96-degree vertical field of view. The prototype is also quite bulky, a far cry from commercially available consumer products. In addition to the "Tiramisu," Meta also showcased a prototype called "Boba 3," a headset designed for hybrid vision and virtual reality, emphasizing an ultrawide field of view...

Following NVIDIA's collaboration with Stanford University to create an ultra-thin virtual reality glasses design only 2.5mm thick, Meta has now partnered with Stanford to create an ultra-thin VR display prototype only 3mm thick. This prototype utilizes holographic projection technology and has been published in the scientific journal *Nature Photonics*, aiming to change the current situation where VR devices are bulky and difficult to wear. Currently, mainstream VR headsets rely on components such as microdisplays, traditional optical lenses, and lens modules, making it difficult to reduce their overall size. There is still considerable room for improvement in both wearing comfort and long-term use. The holographic projection prototype created by Meta and the Stanford research team attempts to fundamentally simplify the structure and significantly reduce the device's thickness through a different design logic. The research indicates that this design mainly combines an RGB micro-laser projector, fiber optic waveguide technology, and MEMS microlenses, then guides light to a spatial light modulator (SLM) to generate a holographic pattern, ultimately forming a virtual image. Unlike traditional methods that use solid lenses for imaging, holographic projection technology generates images based on the principle of interference. Therefore, it eliminates the need for thick lenses to adjust focus, allowing for a thinner and lighter device design. The research team has successfully achieved a 38-degree field of view in the prototype, expanding the area comfortably viewed by the eye to 9 x 8 millimeters, meaning users will have a more natural and stable visual experience. Simultaneously, holographic projection avoids the "visual focus mismatch" problem common in traditional VR devices—the eye fatigue or dizziness caused by the mismatch between the depth of virtual objects and the eye's focus—helping to improve immersion and long-term wearing comfort. However, despite the exciting prototype, many challenges remain before its practical application in the consumer market. For example, the spatial light modulator (SLM) itself needs extremely high resolution and real-time response speed to handle complex visual content. The integration and miniaturization of the laser light source and fiber optic waveguide module remain challenging, posing a significant hardware design challenge to fitting them into a device the size of glasses. Furthermore, the stability and manufacturing yield of MEMS microlenses will also significantly impact the subsequent commercialization process. From its past aggressive acquisitions of optics and display technology companies and investments in XR research institutions, to its current collaborations with academic units to explore holographic projection applications, Meta's determination to position itself for next-generation VR devices is evident. In the long run, if this ultra-thin design can be successfully commercialized, it could potentially shed the current image of bulky and inconvenient VR headsets, gradually leading to lighter, more glasses-like designs and further merging with the development trend of augmented reality (AR) devices. Currently, this technology is still in the laboratory stage, with no concrete commercialization timeline. However, with the continuous advancement of microdisplays, optical components, chips, and manufacturing technologies, related applications may gradually mature in the next few years, injecting new possibilities into consumer virtual reality devices.

Previously, Meta open-sourced its virtual reality headset operating system, renamed it Meta Horizon OS, and announced collaborations with ASUS, Lenovo, and Microsoft's Xbox brand to create virtual reality headsets. Reports indicate that the Meta-Microsoft virtual reality headset will be a co-branded product, based on Meta's existing Quest 3S, with added Xbox branding elements. It will include an Xbox wireless controller, a Quest Elite headband, and a three-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. The suggested retail price is expected to be $399, with an official launch as early as June 24th. This news has not yet been officially confirmed by Meta or Microsoft, but if true, it would mark Xbox's first foray into hardware collaborations in the virtual reality field and could potentially be a new starting point for Microsoft's integration of cloud gaming, subscription services, and cross-platform experiences. Following Ray-Ban and Oakley, Meta's collaboration strategy has achieved another success. Meta has been actively expanding its hardware offerings in recent years, not only partnering with Ray-Ban and Oakley to launch smart glasses, but also extending its reach into the gaming field by collaborating with Microsoft Xbox, a partner with gaming content resources and brand influence. This aims to strengthen the Quest series' penetration among game console players. Based on known specifications, this co-branded Quest 3S largely retains the hardware configuration of the original Quest 3S, including 128GB of storage and a built-in processor. The biggest difference lies in the software and accessory integration. Through the Xbox wireless controller and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate service, users can seamlessly experience game content from the Xbox platform. Targeting the new virtual reality market, the strategy is clear. While existing Meta Quest users may not upgrade for the brand collaboration, this product can be considered a "starter solution" tailor-made for Xbox players who haven't yet entered the virtual reality world. The familiar controller and brand logo lower the barrier to entry and create more potential user overlap for both Microsoft and Meta. Furthermore, given Microsoft's recent efforts to strengthen its Xbox Game Pass cloud gaming service, this headset could potentially become another extension of Xbox's "consoleless gaming" strategy. After all, with a screen and internet access, users can now access the Xbox ecosystem anytime, anywhere; combining this with a virtual reality headset would further enhance the immersive experience. The collaboration between Xbox and Meta not only demonstrates their open platform and hardware resource sharing strategy but also promises to unlock more possibilities for cross-brand smart devices. Especially with Apple's Vision Pro entering the market, how Meta maintains its leading position in the mid-range virtual reality market and how Xbox extends its brand influence will be key areas to watch in this collaboration. If the rumors are true, this co-branded Quest 3S will be available for pre-order on June 24th and will launch simultaneously in multiple markets including the US, Canada, the UK, and Germany, later expanding to India, Mexico, and the Middle East.

Apple recently announced that the Vision Pro, previously available in many countries and regions, will be sold in Taiwan on December 17th, with pre-orders expected to open on December 5th. The suggested retail price is NT$119,900, available at the Apple Store and Apple Online Store, with 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage options. Apple will also provide a 30-minute online demo and a hands-on experience through the Apple Store when it officially goes on sale. Similar to previous releases in other countries and regions, consumers must first install the new Apple Store app and scan their face using an iPhone or iPad with Face ID to confirm the most suitable lens hood and headband size. The retail version of the Vision Pro comes pre-installed with a single-loop braided headband, a double-loop headband, a personalized lens hood with two padded lens hoods, and a Vision Pro protective case. It also includes a cleaning cloth, battery, USB-C charging cable, and USB-C power adapter. A Vision Pro travel case can be purchased separately for NT$6790. For users requiring vision correction, Apple has collaborated with Zeiss to develop magnetic lenses that magnetically attach to the Vision Pro, making it more convenient for nearsighted or farsighted users. Lenses suitable for presbyopia are also available, starting at NT$3290. Currently, there are over 2500 apps compatible with Vision Pro, and over 1.5 million iPhone and iPad apps that are compatible with Vision Pro, providing users with a more complete user experience. In Taiwan, local developers and businesses have also provided a variety of apps, including Far EasTone Telecommunications and Taiwan Mobile, which provide apps such as "friDay", "MyVideo", and "momo Shopping".

Bloomberg News reports that Apple may announce a successor to the Vision Pro with an upgraded processor before releasing the rumored low-priced virtual reality headset. The Vision Pro successor may feature an M5 processor and other updates, and is expected to launch in late 2025 or spring 2026. Following the Vision Pro successor, Apple is expected to release a more entry-level model, rumored to be positioned at a more affordable price, possibly called "Apple Vision." Previous market analysis suggested that Apple wouldn't release a more affordable entry-level virtual reality headset until at least 2027. Besides the Vision Pro, Apple is also rumored to be developing its own smart glasses device to compete with Meta's "Orion" smart glasses, slated for release in 2027, but no concrete information has been released yet.

The Information reports that Meta has cancelled its long-rumored mixed reality headset development project, which was expected to compete with Apple's Vision Pro. This headset, previously codenamed "La Jolla," was originally slated for a 2027 release and positioned as a high-end mixed reality headset. However, during a product review meeting, Meta CEO Mark Zuckberg ordered its development halted. One reason for the cancellation was that the development team initially hoped to keep the price below $1000, but the cost of key components, including the micro OLED display panel, was difficult to reduce, necessitating a higher price. Another reason was the lower market expectations for such products. With Apple's Vision Pro starting at $3499, it clearly only attracted a small consumer base, with many opting to resell after their initial experience. Furthermore, Meta's earlier Quest Pro, priced at $1499, saw significantly lower overall sales compared to the later-released Quest 3. Meta hasn't abandoned the development of virtual reality or mixed reality headsets, but it may no longer focus on high-priced, high-end products. Instead, it may attract more market support through the rumored Quest 4 or the more affordable Quest 3S virtual reality headset. Furthermore, Meta recently announced that it is licensing its Horizon OS software technology to more third-party hardware manufacturers, enabling them to create more virtual reality headsets and thus expand its virtual reality application market, thereby creating greater profit potential.

Compared to the initial 600 native apps available at launch, the number has since exceeded 1000, reaching 2000 in June of this year. Apple recently announced that the number of native apps compatible with Vision Pro has surpassed 2500. Furthermore, in terms of compatibility support, the number of apps currently available for Vision Pro exceeds 1.5 million, a significant increase from the 1 million reported in February. Compared to the 3000 apps listed on Meta's Quest Store, Apple is clearly very proactive in promoting app development for its virtual reality headset, emphasizing that it will make it easier for more developers to bring native iPad and other device-compatible apps to Vision Pro. However, many developers have also stated that Apple's app resources for Vision Pro are still insufficient, and the revenue-sharing incentives are not yet attractive enough. Therefore, most developers prefer to create apps for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other devices. Although Vision Pro has expanded to more markets such as Japan and China, its pricing is still not attractive to most consumers. Therefore, many analysts believe that it will be necessary for Apple to launch a more affordable product before Vision Pro's application services can become more widely available.