Meta strikes back at Apple with spatial video support for Quest headsets

Meta takes on Apple's pricey Vision Pro with spatial video support on the $499 Quest 3.

Meta CEO Zuckerberg has teased spatial video support on Instagram ahead of the feature's rollout. (Image: Meta)

Apple’s ultra-expensive Vision Pro headset finally launches today with a wallet-busting $3,499 price tag. But Meta is stealing some of Apple’s thunder by bringing one of the Vision Pro’s signature features – spatial video playback – to its much more affordable Quest 3 headset.

Meta announced that its new v62 software update will gradually roll out spatial video support to Quest 2, Quest 3, and Quest Pro owners starting February 7. This allows Meta headset users to view 3D spatial videos recorded with an iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max or Vision Pro. Users can also upload these videos to the Meta Quest app (up to 20 minutes long) and access them from their headset’s Files menu.

Spatial videos are basically 6DOF (6 degrees of freedom) videos. This means that when viewing a spatial video, you’ll be able to move and alter the perspective accordingly.

Nevertheless, at just $499, the Quest 3 undercuts the Vision Pro’s astronomical price by a whopping $3,000. Meta has spent big on building the metaverse, racking up substantial losses. Adding a coveted Vision Pro feature to the Quest 3 helps Meta shine against Apple’s pricey headset.

Also read | Apple unveils 600 new apps built for the Vision Pro headset as it launches

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg teased the new feature on his Instagram broadcast channel, offering an “early look at spatial video playback on Quest.” His post included a brief clip of a Quest 3 playing spatial video of trees.

The v62 update also expands the Quest’s pinch gestures with a new “pinch and release” to open the universal menu or a “pinch and hold” to recenter the view. Other improvements include external gamepad support in the Quest Browser for streaming games, enhanced Quest Link with 120Hz refresh rates for PCVR titles, and new continuity features to resume tasks across VR apps.

By stealing spatial video support, Meta is attempting to take the wind out of Apple’s sails right before the Vision Pro hits shelves. There are still a bunch of advantages the Vision Pro has in terms of features, but spatial video support is a big perk for Meta and Quest 3 owners.