Looks like the Quest 3 Lite is still something that Tencent is interested in
So, it appears that Meta and Tencent’s business relationship is still alive. This claim comes from The Information’s Wayne Ma. This insider has a solid track record when it comes to reading the movements of some of the best VR headsets out there.
This report completely contradicts the last one we discussed, which detailed how Zuckerberg stepped away from negotiations with Tencent. The entire debacle has formed quite the rollercoaster ride regarding the allegedly upcoming Quest 3 Lite.
As a move from both Tencent and Meta, a budget-friendly VR headset — which was rumored to launch globally, by the way — is the right call. This way, Tencent has a product that can compete with ByteDance’s Pico series and Meta has something to replace the Quest 2, which seems to be on a clearance sale at the time of writing.
What’s more interesting is that according to Wayne’s report, we’ve got a release window for the Quest 3 Lite too: Q4 of 2024. This falls in line with Meta’s typical release habits, targeting Q3 (July-September) for announcements and Q4 (October-December) for product releases.
But could the previously discussed fallout have actually happened, only for the two companies to join forces once again? Well, while we don’t have any proof that would suggest it, we do have something notable that happened a bit after that: the Pico 4S got leaked.
Tencent and ByteDance are pretty direct competitors in China. But Tencent doesn't have any VR headsets under its belt: something that is quickly becoming a requirement, as XR is probably going to become really impactful in the following decade. Hence: the need for a (renewed?) partnership with Meta.
All of this — if actually true, mind you — means that we’ll get not just one, but two amped-up, budget-friendly XR headsets. And we may even get to see that happen by the end of 2024, which is really impressive.
And for the record: I already told you that 2024 is going to be the year that you try VR.
This report completely contradicts the last one we discussed, which detailed how Zuckerberg stepped away from negotiations with Tencent. The entire debacle has formed quite the rollercoaster ride regarding the allegedly upcoming Quest 3 Lite.
The Quest 3 Lite is rumored to be less powerful than the Quest 3, but still packing MR features.
What’s more interesting is that according to Wayne’s report, we’ve got a release window for the Quest 3 Lite too: Q4 of 2024. This falls in line with Meta’s typical release habits, targeting Q3 (July-September) for announcements and Q4 (October-December) for product releases.
But could the previously discussed fallout have actually happened, only for the two companies to join forces once again? Well, while we don’t have any proof that would suggest it, we do have something notable that happened a bit after that: the Pico 4S got leaked.
Tencent and ByteDance are pretty direct competitors in China. But Tencent doesn't have any VR headsets under its belt: something that is quickly becoming a requirement, as XR is probably going to become really impactful in the following decade. Hence: the need for a (renewed?) partnership with Meta.
The goal now is to get even more aggressive on price. For next year, Meta is planning a cheaper mixed-reality headset that looks a lot like the Quest 3 but uses less costly components, I’m told. Meta would then reposition the Quest 3 as its mid-tier offering. At the high end, the company would come up with a replacement for its failed Quest Pro. That product launched at $1,500 last year, only to see the price cut to $1,000 when it flopped with consumers.
— Mark Gurman, insider, October 2023
All of this — if actually true, mind you — means that we’ll get not just one, but two amped-up, budget-friendly XR headsets. And we may even get to see that happen by the end of 2024, which is really impressive.
And for the record: I already told you that 2024 is going to be the year that you try VR.
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