Why Meta Reportedly Canceled Plans for an Apple Vision Pro Competitor
Meta Platforms has canceled plans for a premium mixed-reality headset to compete with Apple’s Vision Pro, Information reported Friday.
The company asked employees at its Reality Labs division to stop working on the device this week following a product review meeting, according to the report, which cited two Meta employees.
The scrapped device was internally codenamed La Jolla and was expected to launch in 2027, the report said. It would feature ultra-high-resolution displays known as micro OLEDs — the same display technology used in Vision Pros.
The virtual reality and mixed reality headset market gained renewed attention with Apple’s introduction last year, but the Vision Pro was a tough sell due to its hefty $3,500 price tag.
Meta’s Reality Labs division, responsible for developing and marketing the Quest headset line, has lost billions. Still, CEO Mark Zuckerberg remains optimistic about the future of augmented and virtual reality technologies.
The existing line of Quest headsets consists of the Quest 2, which retails for $200, and the Quest 3 for $500.
Meta will stop producing the Quest Pro, its most expensive headset at $999, in 2023 after sales were disappointing and reviews were poor, the Information report said.
Meta did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
© Thomson Reuters 2024
