Meta CTO: 2023 Marks a "Pretty Big Sea Change" for VR

According to Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth, 2023 signifies a significant shift for the company's VR efforts, which he describes as a "pretty big sea change."

During a recent Q&A session on Instagram, Bosworth noted that the current year represents a substantial shift in the VR landscape, reminiscent of the introduction of a new layer to the platform, similar to the early days of Rift and its development kits.

"I’m sure there will be bigger years in the future and certainly it’s hard to top, you know, Quest 1, Quest 2. But I can say this year represents a pretty big sea change. It’s really for the first time since even maybe Rift and all the dev kits that led up to it, that we were introducing like a new layer of the platform," he said (via MIXED Reality News).

"I think having what we call VR 2.0, which includes Meta Reality, which includes hands, which includes eye tracking, face tracking, whenever possible, that feels like a new baseline for these types of devices going forward."

Apparently, Bosworth's comments are alluding to the Meta Quest Pro, which was launched towards the end of 2022. Mark Zuckerberg has confirmed that the upcoming Meta Quest 3, set to be released this year, will utilize the same mixed reality technology, referred to as "Meta Reality" by the company.

Meta Quest 2 has reportedly sold millions of units and is less expensive to produce, leading some to speculate that it may remain available for purchase even after the release of Meta Quest 3. During a recent Q&A session, he confirmed that Meta Quest 2 will not be replaced in the foreseeable future and will continue to receive software updates and improvements.

"The Quest 2 is a great headset, and it’s gonna be in the market for a good long time. We really believe in it and obviously want to continue to advance some of the core functionality that is available to developers, to users," he stated.

Seemingly speaking of the upcoming Meta Quest 3 and its enhanced mixed reality capabilities, Bosworth suggested that the device could reach a broader audience if Meta incorporates a more intuitive interface and better access to the user's environment. He, however, reiterated the excellence of Quest 2 as a product, affirming Meta's commitment to keeping it available in the market and providing ongoing support for an extended period.

"I think it’ll make it more accessible to more people, if we have a more natural interface, if you have more access to the world around you," Bosworth said. "But the base product [Quest 2] is still very, very good. I use my Quest 2 all the time. It’s still a great product and one that we hope to continue to have in the market and support for a while longer yet."

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