With the much-anticipated release of the Meta Quest 3 virtual reality headset, the tech world is witnessing a fierce competition between Meta and Apple in the virtual reality arena. In this race to dominate the VR landscape, Meta might be altering its initial marketing and design plans for its upcoming headset (codenamed Ventura), a move possibly influenced by the Apple Vision Pro.
According to insights shared by Mark Gurman in his Power One newsletter, there’s a sentiment within Meta that the company is in the “afraid of Apple stage.” As a response, Meta is redirecting its efforts to enhance its VR products and shifting its focus away from the metaverse.
Meta’s primary objective with the Ventura headset is to drive down costs and offer a competitively priced high-quality headset. The Quest 3 is already notably more affordable than the Vision Pro, and according to Gurman, Meta is considering the removal of bundled controllers to further reduce the price of its next headset.
Gurman’s suggestion is that users might have the option to use hand gestures alone or purchase controllers separately. For context, Apple’s headset does not include dedicated controllers; it relies on gesture controls tracked via external cameras. However, users can connect a third-party controller or another Apple device for input control.
Reflecting on the initial reveal of the Apple Vision Pro, there was widespread astonishment at the headset’s pricing. Hence, Meta’s commitment to affordability with the Quest 3 appears to be a strategic move to stay ahead of the competition. If Meta can deliver the Ventura headset (or perhaps Quest 4, Quest Neo, or a different name) at a significantly lower price point than the Vision Pro while maintaining competitive performance, it stands a strong chance of securing a leading position in the VR world.
