The Meta Quest 3 looks set to launch this year, especially as we’ve just had more clues about its potential specs.
These come courtesy of the Meta Quest app, as hardware analyst Bradley Lynch spotted a codename “Eureka” in the Quest app; that’s believed to be the name given to the Quest 3. Apparently, the codename can be found in version 205 of the Quest app in the device selection menu.
Lynch noted this could be a sign that software development kits are being shipped out to developers. From that, we can posit that the Quest 3’s hardware has been nailed down and it will be a handful of months until the headset is ready to launch; the fall would likely be the launch period as that’s when the Quest 2 launched back in 2020.
I guess external Quest 3 devkits are starting to go out ;D pic.twitter.com/3kK73BJHfPMarch 7, 2023
On top of this NyaVR, a reverse engineer and VR tipster, noted that from digging into the app’s firmware there are multiple mentions of Eureka and there're references to QR code scanning capabilities.
This would indicate that the Quest 3 will likely use external cameras to scan a QR code to take users through its setup; we’d not be surprised if this also involves the need to log in to a Facebook account.
Meta Quest 3 potential new features
Alongside the QR scanning, NyaVR found code to suggest there’ll be a form of eye relief mechanism for the headset.
Apparently, the code notes: “you can adjust your lens depth by pressing the buttons inside and pulling the headset forward or backward.” This would be handy for people who can suffer from eye strain when wearing even some of the best VR headsets.
And we have a more explicit reference to the QR code scanning mechanism for 'New Quest'. pic.twitter.com/SYlFZ1kI87March 8, 2023
The likes of the PSVR 2 have ways to adjust lenses to ensure they sit comfortably in one’s vision and try to keep things as clear as possible. But such ratchets and buttons aren’t focused on relieving eye strain; when that happens you normally need to take off a headset and have a rest.
Beyond this information tidbit, the Quest 3 is shaping up to be a big upgrade on its predecessor. Double the performance has been tipped, as well as a sleeker design. But this looks set to come at a cost, with the Quest 3 looking to sit at or exceed $400.
Still, at that price, it would be one of the more affordable ways to enter the world of medium to high-end VR, as other headsets tend to need a rather expensive gaming PC to power them. As such, the Quest 3 is definitely a VR headset to watch out for this year.
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