Facebook to develop new versions of its VR headsets

The Oculus division of tech giant Facebook is developing smaller, lighter versions of its Quest VR headset

Facebook is reportedly developing multiple successors to the popular Quest VR headset that are smaller and lighter in design.

The Oculus division of tech giant Facebook is creating a new version of its Quest VR headset. The popular Quest VR headset successor was initially planned to launch by the end of 2020. However, due to disruptions in various sectors caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, the launch will likely be pushed back.

As per Bloomberg, Facebook is reportedly working on multiple successors to the virtual reality headset. Some of these new VR headsets are smaller and lighter than the Quest. Further, they also have a faster image refresh rate that allows more realistic content. Sources also mentioned that the new Facebook VR headsets will feature redesigned controllers.

Which of the multiple versions will be released is still up in the air. Even then, the final product to launch may be slightly different. The launch was initially planned during Facebook’s annual Oculus Connect conference. However, with the pandemic, the launch could go to next year.

The report further mentions that some of the new Quest successor prototypes are 10 to 15 percent smaller, and hence, lighter. This makes them more comfortable to wear. This also allows us to easily wear the VR headset for longer since the current Quest headset weighs about 1.25 pounds (about 0.56 Kg).

Facebook may choose to either completely replace the current Quest with the new model or sell them both alongside each other. The company gained acquisition of Oculus in 2014 for $2 billion as a bet on VR as the future of digital communication. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had predicted that people would use the technology to connect with friends and family through shared virtual experiences.