Meta CTO expects "new era of growth" for XR as Apple may enter market
Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth looks back on a difficult year. He confirms that Meta Quest 3 will be released next year.
2022 was one of the most difficult years in the company's history, writes Andrew "Boz" Bosworth. He should know, after all, he has been at Facebook since 2006 and was one of the first programmers.
Despite the immense challenges, Meta will stick to its Metaverse vision, Bosworth assures. The foundation was laid this year with Meta Quest Pro, which Bosworth writes introduced two key technologies: mixed reality and gaze and facial recognition.
"The sooner people can begin working with new technology like this, the sooner its full value and potential can be unlocked," writes Bosworth.
The undiscovered potential of VR
As one example of the potential of mixed reality, Bosworth cites a new form of computer and wearable work device that projects digital screens and user interfaces into space, of which Quest Pro is a prototype.
Gaze and face capture will enable more expressive avatars and more lifelike VR interactions, Bosworth writes, promising much news in this area in 2023.
He believes that eye tracking will also enable foveated rendering and thus more efficient rendering, "and it’s going to be driving progress in VR and AR for many years to come."
On the software side, Meta's CTO discloses that social VR experiences have become the most popular apps in the Quest Store. From this, Bosworth concludes that VR is a fundamentally social technology.
Fitness apps also continue to gain ground, he said, showing that VR is a platform whose full potential is not yet fully understood.
Meta Quest 3 coming in 2023 - and another device?
At the end of his article, Bosworth ventures a look ahead to next year. "Meta is far from the only company working on pushing the boundaries here, and we expect to see new competitors joining us in building for AR and VR next year," Bosworth writes, probably in reference to ongoing rumors of an Apple-branded mixed reality headset.
"As new devices hit the market, we believe our industry will enter a new era of growth and competition that will bring enormous benefits to users and the developer community," Bosworth predicts.
He also writes Meta will introduce new devices, including the successor to the Meta Quest 2. "You're going to love it," Bosworth promises.
What's interesting about the remark is that, like Mark Zuckerberg before him, Bosworth doesn't name the VR headset and also hints that Meta plans to unveil more than just one new device in 2023. Will there also be a Meta Quest Plus?
If Bosworth has his way, fans will love the next Meta Quest Gaming Showcase. Here's hoping, because the last one was disappointing, to say the least.
Bosworth has something to say not only to Quest fans, but also to investors: "Only" 20 percent of Meta's investments go into the VR and AR division, of which about half in turn goes into the development of augmented reality headsets - products that haven't even been unveiled yet. Bosworth thus confirms what had already leaked before.
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