What you need to know
- The next Meta Quest Pro headset could be using LG OLED microdisplay panels, according to a report.
- This is the second such report in the past year to suggest that Meta and LG are working together on a high-end standalone VR headset.
- One previous Quest Pro 2 prototype model was canceled, likely in favor of the newer leaked model.
When the Meta Quest Pro debuted this time last year, Meta obviously had high hopes the headset would begin a new pillar of more expensive business-class VR headsets for the company. So far, that vision hasn't panned out, but Meta reportedly isn't throwing in the towel yet, as previous rumors had suggested.
According to a Korean news report (via Upload VR), Meta is working with LG to develop a Meta Quest Pro 2 headset sporting high-quality LG OLED Microdisplay panels. That would help Meta's next high-end headset better compete with the Apple Vision Pro when it launches next year.
Outside of the purported display, rumors point to Meta aiming for a $2,000 price tag and a 2025 release date. While high, that's still $1,500 less than what Apple will sell the Vision Pro for. Plus, rumors say Apple is having production issues and won't be able to make too many headsets in 2024, giving Meta an avenue to coax would-be buyers over.
This news jives with what Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth (Boz) said in an Instagram AMA after the original news of the Quest Pro 2's cancellation, citing that just one prototype had been scrapped but that Meta works on several prototype models at once time. The implication was that Meta was still aiming to release a Quest Pro 2 at some point in the future.
Recently, we saw rumors that Samsung went back to the drawing board with its upcoming XR headset after the Apple Vision Pro reveal. Samsung's headset was already poised to use OLED microdisplays to ensure quality and ultra-high resolution, but the company was reportedly not happy with the overall visual design of the original prototype.
We've also seen Google pivot its AR Glasses strategy and Pico change up the marketing strategy of its Pico 4 headset to better compete with Apple's upcoming headset.
Meanwhile, we're still expecting to see the Meta Quest 3's full debut at the Meta Connect conference at the end of this month. Meta is also reportedly partnering with Ray-Ban again, showing that Meta is working to take on the entire XR market from every angle possible.
