Key points
- Meta is testing a prototype VR headset with a wider field of view than existing Quest models.
- The design includes angled lenses for better FOV, but it's still in its early stages.
- Don't expect a wide field of view headset from Meta any time soon, as they are currently focused on releasing the Quest 3S.
Half It appears to be working on a prototype VR headset that features a wider field of view than any existing Meta Quest headset. A recently released image shows the company's CTO taking a look at some of the experiments being tested in Meta's Reality Labs.
Meta is constantly testing new designs for its various peripherals, with some images from these items being officially shared or leaked on the Internet from time to time. The Meta Quest 3S headset was partially teased in an earlier image from the CTO, where the then-unannounced VR headset was sitting on a shelf behind him. Now, a new revelation seems to indicate that the company is testing wider FOVs for the headphones.
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In an image shared by Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth on Instagram, eagle-eyed viewers noticed that one of the headphones he was examining looked very different. The image shows a prototype VR headset that appears to curve around the sides of the face, rather than simply fitting across the front of the face. The lenses are angled, which would play an important role in improving the width of the field of view on future headsets. The design is clearly intended as a prototype only, as it's wired and has clunky accessories, but it's intriguing to see that Meta may be contemplating the possibility of a wider FOV in the future.
While this is indeed a test of Meta, that doesn't necessarily mean it will make it to consumers. Meta is constantly innovating and testing to determine what would be a good feature and work well for its future products. Meta's La Jolla project, which was supposed to compete with the Apple Vision Pro and perhaps be called Meta Quest Pro 2, was recently canceled. However, Bosworth noted that the company has prototypes in development “all the time” and that no everything is actually produced. The company has multiple phases of experimentation before ideas reach the prototype stage. Even once products reach the final stage, they could still be canceled by the company before they are even announced to consumers.
For now, VR enthusiasts shouldn't hold their breath for the launch of a wide FOV headset from Meta. Right now, Meta is focused on the recent release of its Quest 3S, with no official information on Meta Quest 4 or follow-up at this time. Even if this prototype passes all the stages and gets an official launch, it will likely be several years from now.
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