Meta seems to be testing a wider field of view for its VR headsets

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Key conclusions

  • Meta is testing a prototype VR headset with a wider field of view than existing Quest models.
  • The design includes angled lenses to improve visibility, but is still in its early stages.
  • Don't expect a fast wide-field headset from Meta as they are currently focused on releasing the Quest 3S.



Meta seems to be working on a prototype VR headset that has a wider field of view than any of the existing Meta Quest headsets. A recently released image shows the company's CTO looking at some of the experiments being tested at Meta's Reality Labs.

Meta is constantly testing new designs for various peripherals, some images of these items are either officially released or leaked online from time to time. The Meta Quest 3S headset was semi-teased in an earlier CTO image, with a then-unannounced VR headset sitting on a shelf in the back. Now, a new revelation seems to indicate that the company is testing a wider viewing angle for the headsets.


meta quest vr headset

Relatives

The new Meta Quest feature can make using the keyboard a lot easier

The Meta Quest feature being tested could make it much easier for users to use any keyboard while wearing a VR headset.

In an image shared on Instagram by Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth, keen viewers noticed that one of the headsets he was looking at looked quite different. The image shows a prototype VR headset that looks like it curves around the sides of the face, rather than just fitting the front of the face. The lenses are angled, which will play a big role in improving the wide field of vision on future headsets. Obviously, the design is only meant to be a prototype, as it's wired and has some clunky attachments, but it's interesting to see that Meta might be considering a wider field of view in the future.



While this is indeed a Meta test, that doesn't necessarily mean it will reach consumers. Meta is constantly innovating and testing to determine what will be a good feature and will work well for its future products. The Meta La Jolla project, which was supposed to compete with Apple's Vision Pro and was possibly called the Meta Quest Pro 2, was recently canceled. However, Bosworth noted that the company has prototypes in development “all the time” and that not everything is actually made that way. The company has several stages of experimentation before ideas ever reach the prototype phase. Even when products reach the final phase, they can still be canceled by the company before they are communicated to consumers.


For now, VR enthusiasts shouldn't hold their breath for the wide-field-of-view headset to launch with the Meta. Right now, the Meta is focused on the recent release of Quest 3S, with no official word on Meta Quest 4 or what's next. Even if this prototype goes through all the stages and gets an official launch, it will most likely be a few years away.

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