Meta's Next-Gen VR Headset Sounds Way Better Than Quest 2 But There's A Caveat

Mark Zuckerberg has confirmed that Meta is working on a new high-end VR headset, but it's not being made for playtime. The new headset, codenamed Project Cambria, will be "more focused on work use cases" and is set to release later this year.

Meta's Quest 2 VR headset is one the most popular options on the market. The virtual reality headset has provided gamers with many hours of gameplay. According to research firm IDC, Meta sold an estimated 3.5 million VR products in 2021 and could sell close to 7 million Quest devices in 2022. So, it is no surprise that Mark Zuckerberg recently announced a new VR project during Meta's earning call.

Zuckerberg stated that the Quest 2 continues to be the leading virtual reality headset in a Facebook post concerning Meta's earnings call. He added that Meta will be adding a new headset to its VR lineup, codenamed Project Cambria. The new headset will be focused more on the work environment and is aimed at replacing your laptop or work setup.

"We're also building in eye tracking and face tracking so that your avatar can make eye contact and facial expressions, which dramatically improves your sense of presence," Zuckerberg wrote. He continued, "It's also a good example of why we're developing hardware in addition to the social platforms."

Along with the addition of face and eye-tracking features, the high-end device will also have improved ergonomics and full-color passthrough mixed reality to "seamlessly blend virtual reality with the physical world."

Since rebranding to Meta, the company has been making a hard push into the metaverse. So, it is not a surprise that it is looking to gain a greater foothold in the confines of the workspace as well. The pandemic created a work environment that saw many working from home, thus meeting with co-workers via video calls to collaborate.

However, meeting in a virtual workspace has typically lacked that "human" feel. The lack of human emotion in VR avatars could make interpreting what someone is saying a bit difficult. But with the additions that Project Cambria will introduce, that may not be an issue.

With the Quest 2 still being the most popular VR headset on Steam, with 47% of VR users owning the headset, according to the Steam Hardware Survey, Meta does not seem to be in a hurry to release a successor. While the upcoming Project Cambria may be able to be used for gaming, it may be a while before the next-gen Quest (or whatever Meta decides to name it) comes to fruition.

Top Image Courtesy of Meta