Meta has unveiled the Meta Quest 3S, a cost-effective mixed-reality headset priced at $299, set to hit the market by mid-October. The announcement was made at the Meta Connect 2024 conference.
The Quest 3S features six lenses arranged in two triangular groups, enhancing its passthrough capability for an immersive mixed-reality experience. Users can interact with their surroundings while using the headset.
Additionally, the headset supports popular streaming applications like YouTube, Twitch, and Netflix, along with Dolby Atmos for superior sound quality. It also includes Xbox Cloud gaming in a beta phase and revamped Facebook and Instagram apps.
Meta is collaborating with Microsoft to enable Windows 11 content streaming, allowing users to view virtual screens within the headset. This functionality mirrors that of Apple's Vision Pro.
Alongside the Quest 3S, Meta introduced the Orion prototype, an augmented reality headset that connects wirelessly and is controlled via a wristband that detects neural signals, simplifying AR content interaction.
Meta continues to support the original Quest 3, while discontinuing the Quest Pro headset, which struggled in the market. Despite significant investments in VR, Meta has yet to create a mainstream VR ecosystem.