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Meta Quest headsets

Meta Quest headsets are losing one of their most useful features

A recent setback has affected virtual reality Meta Quest headsets manufactured by Meta, such as the Meta Quest 3. Users have noticed that the v60 software update has eliminated the option to immediately share their VR experiences via Chromecast on a bigger screen. Updated documentation now indicates that Chromecast is not completely supported with Meta Quest, even though Meta has not formally addressed this issue.

New Casting Options Introduced

Users are now recommended to cast VR feeds from their headsets to the Meta Quest app for Android or iOS, and then project it to a Chromecast, as direct Chromecast support has been removed. As an alternative, users can utilize the Meta Quest website to cast their VR activities onto a PC. Sharing VR gaming on a linked television becomes more difficult as a result of this modification, especially when playing games with friends and family.

Speculations on the Removal

Though neither Meta nor Google have provided an official statement, rumors about the reason this functionality was removed have started to circulate. Concerns over the dependability of functioning or Meta’s intention to guide people toward its applications are two possible explanations.

The fact that secondary Meta headset accounts may still stream gameplay straight to a Chromecast but primary accounts cannot is an interesting detail that raises the possibility that the functionality removal was not motivated by technical issues.

Changes for Original Meta Quest Headset Users

There has been a similar change in support for owners of the original Meta Quest VR headset. Meta has declared that it will no longer be releasing new feature upgrades for its original wireless VR headset. Some social elements of the original Quest, such as hosting and joining parties, will no longer be available, while bug updates and security patches will still be released until 2024. This action comes after Meta released the more sophisticated Quest 2 in 2020 and the upscale Quest Pro just now.

Latest v60 Update: New Features and Omissions

With the release of the v60 upgrade, Meta has improved mixed-reality app performance, space and boundary features, and Home environments. Receiving phone alerts in the headset was one of the immersive benefits, however it has been discontinued. Positively, there are now new Home settings available, such as Storybook, Lakeside Peak, and Blue Hill Gold Mine.

Measurement capabilities for the environment around you, improved Bluetooth settings, and secured end-to-end cloud backups for Quest headsets are among the other enhancements.

Market Challenges for Meta’s VR Vision

Despite Meta leading the VR industry, recent evidence shows that the US virtual reality and augmented reality markets are shrinking.

In 2023, sales of AR glasses and VR headsets fell by over 40% to $664 million. This fall highlights Meta’s difficulty in bringing immersive technology outside of gaming and into the general public, as seen by the company’s inability to produce a breakthrough product or game-changing software that would fulfill CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s metaverse goal.

Meta’s Financial Commitment Despite Challenges

Meta is investing billions every quarter, even in the face of financial losses, to realize Zuckerberg’s vision of a metaverse. In the third quarter of 2023, the Reality Labs division—which develops VR and AR technologies—saw losses of $3.7 billion.

Meta emphasizes the convergence of artificial intelligence and technology that is accessible to a wide audience, maintaining optimism about the metaverse.

Outlook and Challenges for Meta

With the release of the Quest 3, which aims to inspire developers and provide augmented reality experiences through passthrough capabilities, Meta has demonstrated its commitment to the VR industry. Nevertheless, obstacles stand in the way of Meta’s lofty metaverse goal due to declining sales and financial difficulties. For its VR devices to be widely adopted, the business must create engaging content and maintain developer interest.

Conclusion and the Path Forward

Users will need to adjust to changes in headset support and functionality as Meta works through obstacles in the VR industry. The changing nature of the virtual reality world is shown by the discontinuation of Chromecast support and changes in support for the original Meta Quest. This year will be crucial for those who enjoy virtual reality because of Meta’s calculated actions, upgrades, and the release of Meta Quest 3.

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