Watching videos as they float in your space is an impressive feature indeed, and it used to be something only Apple's $3,500 AR/VR headset could do. Now, you won't have to get yourself a Vision Pro headset as the Meta Quest can do the same for you.
Meta Quest's Spatial Video Playback
You won't have to drop thousands of dollars for a VR headset just to enjoy spatial video playback anymore. Meta is adding the feature to its Meta Quest headsets just as Apple is releasing its first AR/VR headset.
However, it will require a couple of devices and processes first. To view a spatial video, you need to upload it to the Meta Quest mobile app directly from the phone you used to film it. It will be stored in the cloud, so won't have to worry about storage space.
It's not even limited to the latest model of the Meta Quest headsets. The same can be done for the Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest Pro, and Meta Quest 3. Even the Viture One and One Lite XR glasses are capable of viewing spatial videos.
Sadly for Android users, you can only use the iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max to film such videos, as reported by Engadget. As for why it's limited to Apple's latest flagship models, it's the only device out for now that can record the video format.
Other than that, Meta Quest headset owners will now be able to use the device's browser to play video games from the web, along with the option to use external gamepads. This will serve as a way to add more games that are accessible to the VR headset.
Can Meta Quest Replace the Apple Vision Pro?
In some ways, yes. Completely? No. There's a reason why the $3,000 difference between the two headsets with the same spatial video playback feature sounds too good to be true. There's a reason why the Vision Pro is priced the way it is.
With Apple's VR headset, spatial functions are not limited to video playback. Unlike the Meta Quest, you can also open apps that can float in your current space. You can place your apps wherever you want to, as well as adjust the scale for each window.
While you're browsing through the web, you can open another window for messaging apps. And another for a streaming app, which is convenient especially if you have a lot of things to do and a considerable space to spare.
Since you can scale the screen size, you can also create your personal theater at home as you can also watch movies and shows, and even play games with the AR/VR headset. You won't have to worry about the display quality as each eye has more pixels than a 4K TV.
This allows you to play or watch anywhere with the ability to adjust the screen size and proximity, all while being aware of your surroundings. That's what you're paying for with the Apple Vision Pro, but it still doesn't change the fact that the price is a bit pricey for the average consumer.
