Meta working on ‘lightest VR headset ever’, as Apple plans $2,000 Vision headset

3
Jamie F
Updated October 15, 2024
Published October 15, 2024
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Apple is reportedly working on a “non-Pro” Vision mixed reality headset expected to launch in 2025, while Meta is developing what could become the lightest fully-functioning VR headset ever released.

The second headset release from Apple is set to sell for around $2,000, reported Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, so would likely be a cheaper alternative to the Apple Vision Pro. That model was released in February 2024, with prices starting at $3,499.

Meta’s super-light in-development headset, meanwhile, is expected to be the first of a new headset range for the company.

With its high-end specs and premium price, the Apple Vision Pro was aimed at serious VR users and developers rather than mainstream home use. Industry-watchers said that the company may not have had high expectations for sales, seeing the model as a ‘soft’ entry into the headset market.

A black ski goggles on a black background with a sleek design.

Soon after the Apple headset’s release, some people who tried to use the Vision Pro (pictured above) to watch web-based VR porn complained about the headset not allowing them to do so. However, the headset’s compatibility issues were soon ironed out, and sexually explicit content filmed specifically for use with the Vision Pro started to be released.

2025, and beyond

The 2025-bound Apple headset will reportedly not feature the Vision Pro’s controversial front display, which depicts the wearer’s eyes on the front of the device. It’s been reported that the new headset will have an A-series chipset, like those used in iPhones, instead of the Vision Pro’s M-series chip.

It has also been reported that the new Apple headset may weigh 400 grams, which is significantly less than the 600 gram Vision Pro.

The second generation Apple Vision Pro headset is expected to launch in 2026 and to be priced at around the same level as the inaugural Vision Pro. The new Vision Pro could potentially feature an M5 chipset, which would be an upgrade on the current model’s M2 chipset.

In contrast to Apple, Meta seems to be targeting revolution rather than evolution with its 2027-bound headset, codenamed ‘Puffin’. The model is reportedly in the ‘discovery’ phase, meaning that the practicalities of its design and cost are being discussed. If the model is deemed to be practical, it could be progressed to prototype stage.

The design focus of the model seems to be wearability, with The Verge reporting that it features a tethered puck to contain its battery and hardware. This allows the headset to weigh just 110 grams, which would make it the lightest fully-functioning VR headset on the market.

Screenshot 2024 10 03 at 09.39.04

It was reported by The Information that the device resembles a bulky pair of glasses, but is still an opaque VR-style headset with pancake lenses and passthrough. It does not reportedly have handheld controllers, instead utilizing the ‘gaze-and-pinch’ input scheme that was introduced by the Apple Vision Pro.

The Apple Vision Pro has been lauded for its passthrough capabilities. Passthrough is the experience of seeing virtual content imposed over your ‘real’ surroundings, usually achieved through your surroundings being filmed by your headset and relayed to your headset’s field of vision.

Passthrough has quickly become an important aspect of VR porn, often allowing you to experience porn performers appearing as if they are in the room with you. VR porn platforms such as SexLikeReal have invested heavily in improving passthrough techniques, filming with grey backgrounds and having performers wear chroma suits and using AI.

Meta ultra-lightweight

Meta’s ultra-lightweight mixed reality headset, should it make it to full production, could be a gamechanger for other areas of sextech. It raises the prospect of wearing far more comfortable and flexible headsets actually during sex and remote sexual interactions, rather than just when watching sex content.

Meta’s new Quest 3S mixed reality headset, released October 15, 2024, could also have an effect on the sextech landscape with its price point. Priced at $299, it is Meta’s cheapest headset to date, potentially lowering the barrier of entry for VR porn use for many people.

Orion

The company has reportedly canceled development of a mixed reality headset that was expected to be the second generation of the Meta Quest Pro headset. That model was released in 2022 as a higher-end option in the Quest series, but Meta said the public response was “tepid”.

Meta also recently announced the Orion (pictured above), which it calls Meta’s first ‘true’ AR glasses. The glasses aren’t on sale to the public, however, and are only being made available to developers.

Topics mentioned in this article Metaverse / Web3Virtual RealityVR Headsets
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Jamie F is a freelance writer, contributing to outlets such as The Guardian, The Times, The Telegraph, CNN and Vice, among others. He is also the creative force behind the Audible podcast Beast Master.
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