It seems we won"t be having a premium virtual reality headset from Meta after all. According to a recent report, Meta has shelved its plans to launch a high-end XR headset inspired by the Apple Vision Pro, a project that it began working on last year.
Meta"s premium XR headset was codenamed La Jolla and was scheduled for a 2027 launch. The Information reports that Meta has canceled its launch due to price constraints and also the lukewarm response to the much-hyped Apple Vision Pro.
Reportedly, Meta decided to cancel the launch was made during a recent product review meeting attended by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, CTO Andrew Bosworth, and other top-level executives. Sources close to the matter suggest that the headset was expected to be equipped with a high-resolution micro OLED display, similar to the one on the Apple Vision Pro.
However, due to the high costs of the displays, the company wasn"t able to meet its set price of $1,000. Given that Apple Vision Pro"s steep $3,500 price tag has been one of the key reasons for the device"s lackluster sales, Meta likely decided to cancel the product, as it would have far exceeded its target price.
Last month, a patent hinted that Meta could copy Apple Vision Pro"s Eyesight feature. Notably, the feature scans your face to create a virtual image of your eyes and displays it on the external display of the headset, letting others around you know that you are using an app or fully immersed in an experience. Allegedly, this could have been for the now-canceled premium XR headset.
Meanwhile, Meta is reportedly gearing up for the launch of its new Augmented Reality (AR) glasses. Notably, the AR glasses were spotted last month in an image Zuckerberg had shared earlier this year. In fact, Zuckerberg when questioned about the launch, himself said, "Will be ready to share more later this year."