That could indicate that AR will be more important to Apple as a tool to improve user experience.

A recent interview with China Daily USA seems to support that, with CEO Tim Cook being “incredibly excited about AR” while wanting to keep humanity at the center of the new technology.

We’ve been hearing more rumors about the headset lately, indicating a looming release. Apple also reportedly showed off the hardware to the board of directors, which they wouldn’t do if it wasn’t almost ready for release.

Here’s what we know, what we think is coming, and what we want to see.

When will the Apple VR headset launch?

Apple hasn’t publicly acknowledged the existence of the VR/AR headset. Many supply chain indicators point to an early 2023 launch date.

But now, some experts believe Apple’s mixed-reality headset won’t make an appearance until later in the year. That’s according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a solid track record when it comes to Apple.

A report from DigiTimes (via MacRumors) says that mass production will start in March 2023. That would mean the release event would be after that.

The report also mentions that “initial production is said to be very limited,” with the marketing focus on commercial markets.

That’s for Apple’s first headset, which might be developer-focused. Then another headset is tipped to arrive in 2025, or possibly two, one cheaper and one more premium.

Isn’t this Apple Glass?

Apple Glass, the AR-only, looks-like-normal-glasses device, isn’t coming until 2025, at the earliest.

Supply-chain analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, says that contact lens-type AR glasses are also in the works, with a 2030-2040 release window.

The headset that’s believed to be coming early next year is a more traditional helmet-style mixed-reality headset.

What will the headset be called?

Bloomberg reported that Apple has new trademark filings for names that could be associated with virtual reality. Those include “Reality One,” “Reality Pro,” and “Reality Processor.”

Could that be the name(s) of the upcoming headset and the chip that will power it? We won’t have long to wait to find out.

What features do we know about?

Apple’s first headset won’t be restricted to VR or AR content – it will feature both.

That means a closed-off helmet-style headset, with external cameras for positional tracking, AR overlays, hand-tracking, and gesture control.

One report from TomsGuide via The Information says Apple’s headset will introduce a new biometrics security feature. The headset will reportedly feature iris scanning as an extra layer of security.

UPDATE 9/14/2022 1:30 PM ET: Apple has now been granted five patents for mixed reality headsets. These patents are related to eye-tracking, image-capturing, and controller processors.

The displays are supposedly 4K (4000×4000) using micro-OLED. Some reports say there will be a third AMOLED display behind those two high-resolution screens, to make a foveated display.

That type of display works in the same manner as our eyes. Essentially, the spot we’re looking at it will appear high resolution, while the periphery is lower quality.

What kind of processor will the headset have?

Early reports said that the headset wouldn’t do its own processing, instead it would need to be connected to an iPhone or Mac.

Since then, we’ve seen reports of it having multiple chips inside, one of which would be “similar computing power as the M1 for Mac.”

An even more recent report says that Apple will put the M2 chip into the headset. That will pair with 16GB of DRAM, which means you’ll be wearing a MacBook on your face.

UPDATE 11/14/2022 7:40 AM ET: A new report from Bloomberg’s Marc Gurman states that the unit will feature an M2 chip and run realityOS.

The headset will reportedly come with a 96W MacBook charger to power all of that. That’s the same one bundled with the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 Pro chip.

Hardware is cool, but content is king. Apple has reportedly been courting Hollywood directors to create adaptations in AR for their headset.

Expect series like Prehistoric Planet to appear on the device, and more.

How much will the headset cost?

Apple devices are typically sold at premium prices, to match their premium build. Early predictions say the AR/VR headset could cost over $2,000.

This quote was from Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, whose sources say that value was floated around in Apple’s internal discussions.

Apple typically charges a bit more than its competitors for products, locking in margins that have helped it become one of the most profitable consumer-electronics companies ever. The new headset won’t be an exception, but the main reason why the company has discussed price points above $2,000 is because of some of its internal technologies.

If so, this isn’t going to be the mass-market device that Meta’s Quest range is.

Instead, this will be a premium device, possibly aimed at developers and other users that will build the next apps for Apple’s future devices.

realityOS: What is it?

Back in February of this year, developers found multiple references to “realityOS” in Apple’s codebase.

Apple isn’t telling you to go touch grass with that name. Instead, it points toward a new device family, which uses a previously-unknown operating system.

The most likely home would be on the VR headset and subsequent devices. Apple has been working on realityOS since at least 2017, when mentions of “rOS” were found in iOS 13 code.

rOS was built on iOS code, but anything could have changed since then. Apple could have gone the desktop replacement route and built realityOS on macOS.

Will you want the Apple VR headset?

The $2,000 question: will you want it? Well, that depends on you, really.

If you’re a professional or developer that wants a stable AR/VR platform to create on, the answer is yes. You’ll want this headset to create programs for the next, cheaper Apple headset, slated for a 2024 release.

Home users might want to pass on this, however. The high price and relative lack of content mean this probably isn’t the headset for you.

Unless you’re a serial early adopter, in which case, you’re going to buy it when it’s available, just because.

What will be Apple’s competition?

The VR market is about to get very crowded. Multiple large brands are coming out with their own headsets, starting with Meta’s Quest Pro later this year.

Meta’s device is aimed at business users to transition their jobs from typing on a keyboard (boring!) to a metaverse virtual keyboard (ooh, snazzy!). It will cost upwards of $1,000.

Microsoft is also releasing a new HoloLens early in 2023. The enterprise-focused AR headset will cost thousands. Not one for consumers, but still exciting and likely to push the AR market forward.

Then it’s on to an entertainment-focused headset, the PS VR2. Sony’s second VR headset should sell millions of units. The only drawback? You need a PlayStation 5 to use it.

HTC is estimated to sell higher amounts of headsets in 2023. VR is one of the things HTC does well, and its recent headsets are all quality.

Then it’s Pico‘s turn. The largest brand for VR in China, they’re on track to ship at least a million headsets this year. Expect to see a new headset from them in 2023, as we’re due based on their historical release cadence.

What we’d like to see from Apple’s VR headset

We’ve used multiple AR and VR headsets over the years, and most suck. The bar Apple has to surpass is a low one, but that doesn’t make it easy. The company still has to address major pain points.

The biggest is comfort. Most VR headsets are weighty, have uncomfortable straps, and aren’t the easiest to adjust to your head. If Apple can nail comfort, the growing market is theirs.

Most headsets have terrible, or barely-capable, audio playback, but that could change this time. Apple won’t be happy with poor audio, as it focuses on providing solid audio quality on its other devices. Spatial audio in VR content will be awesome.

We’d also love battery life to be a big focus. Power efficiency is there, if it uses the M2 chip. With the average headset running out after two or three hours, Apple knows what it has to do.

That said, if it’s coming with a 96W charger, it might not have much of an internal battery, if any at all.

Interconnectivity between the rest of Apple’s product stack would be great.

Apple Fitness Plus would have a natural place on the headset, as would Maps, or other programs. Imagine using Garageband in AR, while you’re playing your instruments.

The future is virtual

UPDATE 9/29/2022 8:30 AM ET: Apple is already looking to future headsets, as well. According to a new report from The Elec, Apple is asking LG and Samsung about future displays that reach 3500 pixels-per-inch (PPI). Theoretically, this will make future displays even more immersive.

Whatever form Apple’s first VR/AR headset takes, it’s clear the company thinks other forms of reality are the future.

Apple isn’t one to jump into a market, they like to study things first (assuming they’re not creating the category).

The first device might be another “iPhone moment,” changing the face of how we interact with technology. If anyone can get VR and AR mainstream, it’ll be Apple.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Mark Gurman at Bloomberg reports that Apple’s recent job listings hint that the headset is nearing completion. The clues? Those job listings outline roles to create content for augmented- and virtual-reality environments.

The jobs posted are for the Technology Development Group (TDG), the team behind the upcoming headset. Varied roles are ready to fill, from software producer to audio processing knowledge.

Gurman says that some of those roles show that Apple plans a VR video service for the headset, with 3D content created by artists or professional sports leagues.

We wonder how long it will be before sports leagues have VR follow cams so you can watch as if you’re inside the game.

Another role shows that Apple is working on a 3D mixed-reality world. That’s not the metaverse because Apple hates that word.

Instead, it could possibly be something like virtual avatars sitting in on meetings by placing them in empty seats at a conference table.

Gurman also reiterated some things we knew already:

• The price is likely to be between $2,000 and $3,000
• It will run realityOS
• It will be powered by Apple Silicon, with M2-level power
• At least 10 cameras inside and outside of the headset
• Highest-resolution displays in any mass-market headset
• Potential names include “Reality Pro” and “Reality One.

What he didn’t mention is specifics on a potential launch window. That could be because of the push to hire staff to build the ecosystem around the headset.

Earlier reporting said Apple’s mixed-reality headset was scheduled for a January 2023 unveiling. It’s unclear at this time if that’s still the timeline or if that will be unveiled with retail availability later in the year.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Once only available in the fevered dreams of science fiction writers, the lethal headset is now a physical thing.

The creator says that the “half that kills you” is working, while he hasn’t figured out the “perfect-VR half of the equation.”

Oh, the creator? None other than VR wunderkind, Palmer Luckey. Yes, that Palmer Luckey, the one who co-founded Oculus, the VR hardware company now owned by Meta.

The sci-fi trope headset is supposedly “a piece of office art” with Luckey saying he hasn’t “worked up the balls to actually use it [himself].”

He even plans to make it tamper-resistant, so it will kill the user if someone tries to remove the headset.

That admission does beg the question: under what situation would he (or anyone) willingly use the lethal headset?

Anime inspired this lethal VR headset

See, maybe Luckey’s creation of this abominable headset makes sense to him.

The inspiration for the device came from Sword Art Online (SAO), a 2000’s webcomic that turned into an anime, and then multiple video games, including a VR demo.

That last game demo is important because the whole plot of SAO hinges on a VR headset. In it, the creator of the SAO game in the webcomic also creates the NerveGear, a VR headset to play the game with.

The game gets through the beta stages, and thousands of players buy the hardware. Then, the creator locks them into the virtual world.

The headset has a superpowered microwave that can kill the user if they either die in game or try to take the headset off.

The popularity of SAO helped Oculus, especially in the Japanese market. Maybe Luckey created this headset as an homage to the series that helped his own non-lethal VR headset. Or, perhaps he’s just a loon.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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That nugget of information came in Meta’s latest quarterly earnings report. That factoid backs up earlier leaks, which said that the Quest 3 would release next year.

Meta already has most of the consumer VR headset market. An updated, upgraded Quest headset would solidify that lead, at a time when multiple other companies are bringing consumer devices out.

From Meta’s quarterly earnings report:

Earlier leaks of “Stinson,” the Quest 3’s codename, said it would use two uOLED screens. That’s a departure from the single LCD panel used in the Quest 2, and promises better image quality.

The leaked sketches also show multiple outward-facing cameras with a depth sensor. These will likely enable Augmented Reality (AR) or Mixed Reality (XR) experiences, like on the premium Meta Quest Pro.

We expect the Quest 3 won’t have the internal facial expression-tracking cameras from the professional headset. They’re too expensive to put into a consumer device and keep the price down.

Meta has been burning money like crazy to build its version of the metaverse. The company has lost nearly $10 billion this year, with costs increasing as time goes on.

During that time, VR revenue has dropped nearly 50% since last year, attributed to lower Quest 2 sales.

Owning the metaverse, or a version of it, would benefit Meta.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg drew parallels to Apple’s tightly controlled hardware and software stack during the earnings call, saying that building the metaverse will enable Meta to be more innovative.

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The VR P10 are the first pair of earbuds from the Made for Meta program, so they’re certified to work with Meta’s VR headsets. They come with a USB-C dongle that provides low-latency audio streaming over 2.4GHz wireless.

While many VR headsets have Bluetooth connectivity for earbuds, the latency reduces your immersion in the virtual worlds. That could mean the difference between success and failure in some types of games.

By using low-latency 2.4GHz, that lag is gone. There’s also support for LC3 Bluetooth, which reduces Bluetooth latency by reducing audio quality slightly.

Anker made a dongle we actually like

The dongle has a couple of other tricks. A USB-C passthrough port means you can use it while charging your Quest 2 or while using it tethered to your PC.

There’s even a place to store the dongle inside the charging case for the earbuds.

Genius, right? No more having to worry about losing your dongle. Anker’s Soundcore VR P10 stows it inside the case above the earbuds.

You can even connect up to four dongles to one VR P10 headset. You can change which dongle you’re connected to via the Soundcore app on Android or iOS.

The earbuds have six hours of battery life, with another three total charges in the charging case. That’s the industry standard for TWS earbuds and will easily outlast the battery life of the Meta Quest 2.

You can get Anker’s $99.99 Soundcore VR P10 from Amazon, Soundcore, or Meta. Best Buy will have it later this year, both online and in-store.

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This is allegedly the headset codenamed “Stinson,” which earlier leaks said would get a 2023 release. That means Stinson = Meta Quest 3.

Earlier leaks said that it would use uOLED screens, two of them if the new leaked sketches are accurate. That’s better than the single LCD panel that the current Quest 2 uses.

READ MORE: How to buy the Meta Quest Pro

Other details show that mixed reality will feature prominently on the headset. It has two black-and-white cameras, two RGB cameras, and a depth sensor. Those will work for a full-color passthrough of your surroundings.

Meet the Meta Quest 3

The headset might have a new design, but the drawings show the same (terrible) soft straps used on the Quest 2. You’ll want to buy third-party straps, because they’re simply more comfortable.

The Quest 3 won’t feature eye tracking or the emotion-sensing cameras in the Pro headset. They’re currently too expensive for consumer devices.

These are all still CAD sketches of what looks to be a mostly-completed headset, so keep that in mind. Meta could change all of these features before launch, but that’s unlikely.

We’ll have to wait to find out, as the next hardware launch from Meta is the business-focused Meta Pro Quest.

We’re pretty sure that’s the name, as an engineering sample was left in a hotel room with associated marketing materials.

Meta is holding its annual AR/VR conference in a couple of weeks, with the keynote on October 11. That’s when CEO Mark Zuckerberg promised a new VR headset would be announced. Will we get more than one?

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The company revealed the Pico 4 in a Twitter post earlier this week and shared more details about the headset on its website.

The headset features a Qualcomm XR2 processor, Adreno 650 GPU, and 8GB of RAM. Like the Quest 2, it can be used by itself as a standalone device.

Pico created a balanced design by throwing the Pico 4’s battery into the rear strap. That supposedly creates a balanced weight distribution that won’t pull your head one way or another.

Also, like the Quest 2, you can hook the Pico 4 up to a computer for a more refined VR experience. That will help you take advantage of the 4K resolution in the device’s dual displays.

The Pico store offers around 160 games that users can play, and that list will continue to grow. Additionally, the Pico 4 will have SteamVR support, so you can play even more games.

And how could we forget TikTok? ByteDance owns both Pico and TikTok, so it makes sense that the short-form video app will have a presence on the Pico 4 headset.

Finally, Pico is looking to launch its own metaverse experience, called Pico Worlds. That sounds a lot like Meta’s Horizon Worlds, if you ask me.

The Pico 4 is launching next month at the starting price of €429 for 128GB of storage. At first, it will only be available in Japan, South Korea, and several European countries.

The company plans to bring it to Singapore, Malaysia, and China by the end of the year. But there aren’t any plans for a release in the United States yet.

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The keynote event will be broadcast on October 11 at 1 pm ET, and Meta says it’s a “can’t-miss” event. Will this be when Meta unveils “Project Cambria,” the high-end virtual reality headset it’s been working on? It’s a perfect time, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been teasing the headset for months.

Last month, while on Joe Rogan’s podcast, Zuckerberg said that Meta would announce a new VR headset in October. Yesterday, Zuckerberg posted about Meta Connect’s date on his personal Facebook account. Attached to that post was an image of him wearing a VR headset, with a design that doesn’t match any of the company’s existing devices.

If this is “Project Cambria,” expect the price to be significantly higher than the current Meta Quest 2. That device starts at $399.99, and the upcoming high-end headset could be over $1,000, according to Business Insider.

We also expect to hear more about Horizon Worlds, the company’s metaverse app that lets people create virtual worlds. Zuckerberg said as much last month after early images of Horizon that he shared got ridiculed.

Tune in on October 11 to find out what Meta’s vision for the metaverse is shaping to be, and if the new high-end headset is worth it.

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To take the sting out of things slightly, Meta is offering new buyers a free copy of Beat Saber for a limited time.

That increase means that the 128GB storage version of the Meta Quest 2 headset will cost $399.99, a $100 increase. The same increase comes to the 256GB storage version, which will be $499.99.

Refurbished units will also increase in price, but that price hasn’t been revealed yet. Replacement controllers, which only just came back in stock, will see a price hike starting as early as next month. As will every other Quest 2 accessory.

READ MORE: Zuckerberg confirms the Quest Pro is coming in October

The reason for the price hike? Meta says that “the costs to make and ship our products have been rising.” Ah, so good old capitalism and having a virtual monopoly on VR headsets.

Even with the increase, the Meta Quest 2 is still cheaper than comparable VR headsets from other manufacturers. It’s still weird to see an MSRP increase on gaming hardware that isn’t a PC component.

It’s even weirder to see a price increase nearly two years into any device’s lifespan.

We’ll have to wait until later this year to find out the pricing of the Meta Quest Pro. That’s the upcoming high-end mixed-reality headset Meta has been working on, which could be over $1,000 at launch.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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The VR/AR market is going to significantly change in the year ahead. Apple’s mixed reality headset is a part of that, but it’s not the only device coming.

Sony’s PS VR2 is also likely to be released around the same time as Apple’s headset. Kuo thinks that will ship 1.5 million units in the months after release.

READ MORE: Apple is planning a huge number of new devices over the next year

Microsoft is also gearing up to release a new HoloLens around that time. HTC is estimated to ship a higher volume of headsets in 2023. Pico, the largest VR brand in China, is also on track to ship 1-1.5 million headsets this year.

You’ve probably noticed that we haven’t mentioned Meta yet. That’s because the company is on a cost-cutting spree, with everything from hiring to hardware investment all slashed.

Meta has been selling its headsets at a loss to gain market share. If that changes, there will be room for other companies to catch up.

READ MORE: Meta’s upcoming VR headset will reportedly be called ‘Quest Pro’

The overall sentiment from Kuo is optimistic, both about the Apple mixed reality headset, and the overall AR/VR market. He believes the headset’s release will spur new growth. Maybe it won’t have the same impact the iPod or iPhone had on the market, but it will be an overall “game-changer for headsets.”

Apple reportedly showed the headset to the board earlier this year. That could mean the hardware is near its final form. What needs to come for the headset to be a success is an ecosystem of apps, games, and other experiences.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Now, these are patent images so they show an idea, but the design could change. What we can tell is that Valve is planning a complicated system of cables to adjust the headset to your liking.

Two large dials on the back of the straps control the top and side straps’ length, and it looks easy to adjust.

We can also see two headphone/speaker sections that drop down from the side straps. Those are also adjustable in what seems like multiple dimensions.

What we don’t know from the patent is what hardware will go into the headset.

Some hints point towards it being standalone, as “The harness may couple to a rear housing disposed at the back of the HMD. The rear housing may accommodate various computing components of the HMD.” Sounds like a self-powered VR headset to us, like the Meta Quest 2 or Pico’s range.

Some other details about the Deckard VR headset have also emerged this week. Brad Lynch, an XR analyst who first found the Deckard name, says that Steam VR will be able to make a Wi-Fi hotspot for the headset to connect to your PC. This seems to happen without needing any additional hardware.

Lynch also found development tool pointers, and a whole bunch of other leaked strings. Check out his video for more. He does caution patience, as Valve is known for long development times or even not releasing things they work on.

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The usually dependable supply-chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had this to say on Twitter early this morning. He says that thanks to Shanghai lockdowns, the development process of the VR/AR headset was slowed.

He believes that early 2023 will be when Apple decides to unleash news about the headset. Expect a January 2023 Apple Event to announce the AR/VR headset. Development kits will come within weeks after that, and a pre-order period will occur in the second quarter of 2023.

READ MORE: Apple’s mixed-reality headset is likely coming in January 2023

That timeline culminates in the AR/VR headset “hitting shelves before WWDC 2023.” That’s an odd timeline for release, although it wouldn’t be the first time Apple has unveiled a major device in January.

Apple didn’t explicitly mention the AR/VR headset at all in WWDC 2022. Did they tease it right at the start?

If you go to the keynote at six seconds in, you see what looks suspiciously like a VR headset on someone’s forehead. Big goggles, what look like wires behind each ear – sure, seems like a headset to me. We’ll find out early next year (hopefully).

READ MORE: Apple is planning a huge number of new devices over the next year

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If this sounds like something you need, you can grab it now for just $10.26 with promo code 45PKGGGK. This battery back typically sells for $24. If you prefer a two-pack, get it now for just $23 with promo code 55GEJMFT.

The tiny USB-C battery pack adds another 1.5 hours of playtime to your VR headset, and comes with a right-angle USB-C adapter so it fits out of the way of the straps.

The pocketable USB-C battery pack also can charge your smartphone, just by plugging it. That’s great for emergencies, and what bigger emergency than your phone running out of battery?

For less than $14 for a single battery to add another 1.5 hours of playtime to your Meta Quest 2, it’s a no-brainer. Better yet, you can get two for under $23, and both options have an additional 10-percent coupon right now. Don’t forget to tick the checkbox before adding it to your cart.

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That news comes from a recent report from The New York Times. The publication says that Apple is all-in on augmented reality. Although its headset is likely not coming until at least early 2023.

Interestingly, Apple’s WWDC 2022 starts today. While it isn’t expected for Apple to reveal the actual headset, we could see software-related news during the conference.

READ MORE: Apple’s mixed-reality headset is likely coming in January 2023

The software will give developers the tools for additional camera and voice-related features that they can add to their apps. That will establish a framework for developers to create more AR-based apps and features, in line with Apple’s development of an AR headset.

Of course, Apple isn’t the only major tech company working on AR technology. Facebook’s parent company, Meta, has shifted its focus to the metaverse. And the Meta Quest 2 headset has been around for a while now.

But much of the focus of AR and VR revolves around gaming for the time being. And Apple generally targets a much wider audience than just gamers with its new products.

So, it’s pretty safe to assume that Apple’s vision for its headset is not limited to gaming. And with the company now working with Hollywood to develop AR content, it looks like Apple is planning on shaking up the entire AR/VR space when it finally launches its AR headset.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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The VR/AR headset has been a long-rumored project for years now. As we get closer to its inevitable release, it makes sense that WWDC 2022 will be somewhat overshadowed by the headset, even without technically being there.

There will be no VR/AR headset from Apple until next year, according to The New York Times. Their report says that “challenges with battery power” are the culprit.

READ MORE: Apple’s mixed-reality headset is likely coming in January 2023

The report also talks about earlier versions of the headset. Those versions were “hobbled by weak computing power.” That shouldn’t be a problem for the current version, which is reportedly using M1-levels of computing power.

That matches up with a report from Bloomberg in January of this year, which said that overheating was an issue.

A report from Tom’s Guide says that the design might not be what you expect. They say Apple has added an outer-facing screen to show the wearer’s eyes and facial expressions. We can’t help but remember these horrifying prototypes made by Meta’s Reality Labs last year.

With so much riding on the project, it’s wise for Apple to delay things until they have a physical product that will match consumer expectations. That’s not to say WWDC won’t talk about the mixed-reality headset, however.

What we expect to hear about is the ecosystem for developing apps and experiences for the headset. We’ll see tools for developers to add new camera and voice functionality to their apps. That will be key for a hands-free interface on the headset.

We’ll also possibly hear about new video content that will be created by Apple. Thankfully, we won’t have to wait long. WWDC 2022 starts today, June 6, at 10 AM PDT.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Now, we can’t tell you what the VR headset actually looks like. That’s because Meta pixelated the device in every frame, making Zuckerberg look like another commonly pixelated object that’s NSFW.

The actual software experience at play here looks great. External high-res color cameras pass through your surroundings onto your VR screens.

That enables things like virtual objects in the real world that you can interact with. The video showed Zuck throwing a virtual ball for a virtual pet to chase after.

READ MORE: Valve’s upcoming VR headset possibly shown off in new patent

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Meta wants you to use Project Cambria for more than just games. The workday user experience showed multiple screens floating in mid-air, instead of tethered to a desk. The demo also showed off exercising in VR, with a virtual trainer projected into your space.

This is all created by Meta’s Presence Platform, a way for developers to build mixed reality experiences. Developers can build for Quest 2 and for the next-gen headsets like Project Cambria using this framework.

Project Cambria is supposedly releasing later this year, although we’ve had no official confirmation from Meta at this time. Until then, enjoy a mixed-reality demo, The World Beyond, which will be coming to the Quest 2 App Lab.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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The post Mark Zuckerberg shows off Project Cambria VR headset in new video appeared first on KnowTechie.

The first of these devices is Project Cambria; a high-end VR and mixed-reality headset that Meta wants to replace your laptop with. It will have facial expression tracking, sensors to mimic eye contact in VR, and new optics to make the metaverse more believable.

Cambria will be running on Android hardware, although it’s not clear at this point if Meta will use Android or its own software on the device. Expect to see this later this year, possibly before September.

READ MORE: Meta is working on a digital metaverse wallet

READ MORE: Valve’s upcoming VR headset possibly shown off in new patent

The price of the pro-level VR headset is going to be high; with two sources telling The Information (via Android Central) that Cambria will cost $799. A Meta spokesperson said that the “price would be significantly higher,” which we take to mean that Meta will be selling the hardware at a loss.

Funston, the codename for the successor, is being readied for a 2024 release. Also scheduled for 2024 are two pairs of augmented reality glasses, Nazare and Hypernova. Finally, there’s a Quest-branded consumer-level VR headset planned, codenamed Cardiff.

READ MORE: Meta’s upcoming VR headset will reportedly be called ‘Quest Pro’

READ MORE: Meta’s first version of AR glasses will be aimed at developers

Before that, a consumer headset codenamed Stinson is coming in 2023. That’s going to be the Quest 3 when it hits shelves. A leak from earlier this year says it’ll have uOLED screens.

That’s a lot of VR headsets in a short time, but it’s necessary for Meta to carve out its vision of the metaverse before the competition.

Companies like Pico, now owned by Bytedance, are about to start challenging Meta in the consumer space, with the upcoming Pico Neo 3 Link.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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The post Meta is reportedly releasing four VR headsets by 2024 appeared first on KnowTechie.

Everyone seems to be having fun playing games like Half-Life: Alyx and Beat Saber, but you need to know about PC requirements for VR headsets before diving in.

While some VR headsets like Meta’s Quest 2 can work without any other device, most headsets need a PC.

That means you’ll want to know what minimum specifications you’ll need, and if your computer will need an upgrade before it can run your VR headset.

Surprisingly, VR requirements are not as high as you think, so keep reading below to learn everything you need to know about getting your PC ready for VR.

Your PC needs these as a minimum for using a VR headset

Every headset on the market needs slightly different requirements to work with your PC. Here are the minimums for the four most popular VR headsets.

READ MORE: Does the Meta Quest 2 require a PC?

Remember, these are the bare minimum requirements for them to work, and the more power you can throw at them, the better your experience will be.

That’s nowhere near the number of headsets on the VR market today, but it’s a good start.

Most headsets will require the same level of graphics card or higher, the rest of the specifications might change.

See if you can find the FAQ page from the manufacturer if it’s a headset that’s not on this list, like this one for the Vive Cosmos.

Additionally, Nvidia recommends an RTX3060 or higher for the best VR experience.

AMD has higher requirements than all of the VR headset minimums above, saying you should be using a Radeon R590 or higher.

How to check that your computer meets VR requirements

Windows makes it a snap to find the few pieces of hardware information you need to know, but the most important thing to check? Your graphics card, which is the most vital part.

That is the most important because most PCs have over 8GB of RAM these days. Almost any PC from the last few years has at least a dual-core CPU. And the minimum CPU requirements of an Intel i5-4590 or Ryzen 1500 are from eight years ago and five years ago, respectively.

How to check your graphics card

1. Open the Windows Start Menu and select Settings

2. Click on System from the left pane

3. Then click on Display > Advanced display

You’ll see the above screen, which will have your monitor’s name and the name of the graphics card that it’s connected to. In my PC, it’s connected to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, which is above Nvidia’s recommended spec for a smooth VR experience.

If you go back to the main System page, then click on the bottom entry, About, you’ll see your CPU and RAM specifications.

What about automated tests?

You might have seen VRMark or SteamVR Performance Test mentioned as an easy test for VR compatibility. While it’s true these programs were designed for this, they were created in 2016. VR has moved on substantially since their release.

You can’t count on the rating either program gives as an indicator if your PC can run newer VR headsets. It’s just not going to be accurate when they were designed to say if the original HTC Vive or Oculus Rift headsets were compatible.

Now you know how to check your PC for the minimum specs for any VR headset you might want to buy. Happy gaming!

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

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Why? Well, for that we’ll go to an unusual source for Meta news, Ming-Chi Kuo. He’s usually giving us Apple forecasts, so the Meta news must be juicy.

He says that Meta’s upgraded Oculus Quest will use mini-LED for the displays, with a 2160×2160 resolution per eye. That’s a full 4K if you add them together, giving the Meta Quest 2 Pro some serious display credentials.

READ MORE: Meta Quest 2 prices are about to see a huge jump

READ MORE: Meta Quest 2 now has better hand tracking for high fives and clapping

The move to mini-LED also means Meta can use pancake lenses, which means an overall thinner headset. That’s because mini-LED puts out more light, which is necessary as pancake lenses lose more light than the fresnel lens in the current Quest 2.

According to Digital Trends, the Quest 2 Pro could also feature facial recognition and eye-tracking. That’s probably going to feature Tobii’s eye trackers, like on the Pico Neo 2 Eye which we found useful.

Meta will likely target a Christmas release for the Quest 2 Pro, as it did with the Quest 2 in 2020. That led it to be the best-selling VR headset, with over a million units sold that quarter. Over 47-percent of respondents to Steam’s latest hardware survey are rocking a Quest 2.

READ MORE: Meta’s new parental controls make Quest VR headsets safer for kids

Note that the Quest 2 Pro isn’t the same Project Cambria mixed-reality headset that would allow for virtual objects to be overlaid on your vision. That was expected in 2022 but is likely delayed.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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The post A Quest 2 Pro VR headset might be coming later this year appeared first on KnowTechie.

That sleuthing was further backed up by Ars Technica, who talked to a few sources who confirmed much of what Lynch had figured out. Yes, Valve has a second VR headset in development.

It’s going to feature a built-in processor, so it won’t need to be tethered to a PC to work. And yes, they are working on inside-out tracking so it won’t need external devices to track your movement.

The sources Ars spoke to said that Valve had multiple VR headsets in concept stages before the Index was released. Those concepts diverged, becoming the tethered Index that’s for sale now, and a standalone headset with inbuilt processing, essentially Valve’s version of an Oculus Quest or Pico Neo.

At the time, Valve was having difficulty getting the inside-out tracking working, which is possibly why the standalone headset isn’t ready for market yet.

Now, before you go getting all excited, all of this means that Valve is working on a second headset at its headquarters. That doesn’t necessarily mean that it will make it to market, and Valve has a long history of killing projects in their prototype stages.

The only real difference here is that both the Valve Index and a “Half-Life VR” title were hinted at before their release, so we remain hopeful that a standalone VR headset is possible.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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