Meta Discontinues Quest Pro Mixed Reality Headset
Meta has officially ended production of the Quest Pro, their first mixed reality headset.
In September, Meta announced the discontinuation of Quest 2 and Quest Pro sales. The remaining stock was to be sold until the end of the year or until supplies ran out.
Instead of the Quest Pro, Meta is now recommending users to purchase the Quest 3 for a top-notch mixed reality experience. However, users can still buy the Quest Pro’s ‘Touch Pro’ controllers, as they are compatible with Quest 2 and newer models.
Originally released in 2022 with a hefty price tag of $1,500, Meta had high hopes for the Quest Pro to kickstart their mixed reality ventures among consumers. It boasted features like color-passthrough, pancake lenses, and face and eye-tracking, setting it apart from the Quest 2.
However, after nearly a year on the market, it was clear that the Quest Pro did not attract users as expected. This led Meta to reduce the price to $1,000. Additionally, the high initial cost of the Quest Pro posed challenges for developers, resulting in limited mixed reality experiences.
Recognizing the need for a more accessible headset, Meta launched the Quest 3 in October 2023. Priced at $499, it incorporated many features from the Quest Pro, excluding face and eye-tracking.
A year later, Meta introduced the Quest 3S, featuring the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset as the Quest 3 but with cost-effective Fresnel lenses and displays similar to the Quest 2. This marked Meta’s strong push towards achieving their mixed reality goals.
While Meta’s approach of offering affordable headsets like the Quest has been successful, it remains uncertain if they will return to a ‘Pro’ pricing model in the future. Reports of a potential Quest Pro sequel being cancelled were partially refuted by Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth, hinting at the possibility of a Quest Pro 2 in the works.
