Facebook is reportedly working on a new, flagship virtual reality headset to replace the Oculus Quest
- Facebook's $2 billion bet on virtual reality has yet to pay off, but the company isn't giving up just yet: A lighter, more powerful version of the Oculus Quest headset is reportedly in the works.
- According to Bloomberg, Facebook has yet to settle on a final design and specs list for the new headset.
- The $400 Oculus Quest has been one of Facebook's most successful VR products, with critics and users alike praising its ease of use and technological prowess.
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Facebook bet $2 billion on virtual reality back in 2014 when it bought Oculus VR, the startup that went from Silicon Valley darling to Facebook subsidiary in just a few short years.
The company has continued its commitment to VR in the years since, and its most successful product to date — the $400 standalone Oculus Quest headset — is reportedly getting a new version that's lighter and more powerful than its predecessor.
That's according to a new piece from Bloomberg, which reports that Facebook has several versions of the new Quest in the works currently. Facebook has yet to officially announce a new version of the Oculus Quest.
The new headset was planned for a late 2020 launch, according to Bloomberg, but may not hit that target due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Facebook has reportedly not settled on the final design and specs for the Quest successor, but the general vision appears to be to make it smaller and lighter, and for its screen to have higher fidelity than the original model.
The Quest has been a rare success in the struggling virtual reality market. The headset is currently sold out, and has been for some time — a measure of Facebook's inability to manufacture or restock VR headsets during a pandemic and of consumer interest.
Unlike Facebook's higher end Oculus Rift S, which requires a powerful computer to function, and the Oculus Go, which has limited capability due to its relatively low horsepower, the Oculus Quest occupies a middle ground between super high fidelity and accessibility. That middle ground has proven fertile for sowing consumer interest in buying VR headsets — an issue that's plagued virtual reality since the early '90s.
Facebook did not respond immediately to Business Insider's request for comment.