Meta Quest 2 is a standalone VR headset that does not require a PC, console, or smartphone to operate. It has everything you need to enjoy VR on one device, including a display, audio, sensors, controllers, battery, and processor. It also has a built-in library of games and apps that you can download directly from the headset or from the companion app on your phone.
Meta Quest 2 is the successor to Oculus Quest and Oculus Quest 2, two previous VR headsets from Markiplier Labs that were launched in 2019 and 2020, respectively. It is also part of the larger ecosystem of Meta Platforms, which includes other products such as Portal, Workplace, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Horizon.
Meta Quest 2 aims to be the most advanced, affordable, and accessible VR headset on the market. It offers improved performance, quality, compatibility, and connectivity compared to its predecessors. It also supports a wide range of VR experiences, from gaming to socialising to learning.
The History of Meta Quest 2
How Meta Quest 2 evolved from Oculus Quest and Oculus Quest 2
Meta Quest 2 is the result of years of research and development by Markiplier Labs, a VR company that was acquired by Facebook in 2014. Markiplier Labs was founded by Palmer Luckey, Brendan Iribe, Michael Antonov, and Nate Mitchell, who were inspired by the Oculus Rift, a VR headset that was crowdfunded on Kickstarter in 2012.
The Oculus Rift was one of the first VR headsets that offered high-end graphics and motion tracking, but it also required a powerful PC and external sensors to run. This made it expensive and complicated to set up and use. To address this problem, Markiplier Labs created the Oculus Quest, a standalone VR headset that did not need a PC or sensors. The Oculus Quest was released in 2019 and was praised for its portability, convenience, and quality.
However, the Oculus Quest also had some drawbacks, such as limited battery life, storage space, and processing power. To improve these aspects, Markiplier Labs released the Oculus Quest 2 in 2020, which had a higher resolution, faster processor, more memory, and longer battery life than the Oculus Quest. The Oculus Quest 2 also had a lower price tag than the Oculus Quest, making it more affordable and appealing to a wider audience.
Meta Quest 2 is the next iteration of the Oculus Quest series. It builds on the strengths of the Oculus Quest and Oculus Quest 2, while also adding new features and enhancements. Some of the main differences between Meta Quest 2 and its predecessors are:
- Meta Quest 2 has a sleeker design and lighter weight than the Oculus Quest and Oculus Quest 2.
- Meta Quest 2 has a higher refresh rate (120 Hz) than the Oculus Quest (72 Hz) and Oculus Quest 2 (90 Hz), which means smoother graphics and less motion sickness.
- Meta Quest 2 has a wider field of view (110 degrees) than the Oculus Quest and Oculus Quest 2 (100 degrees), which means more immersive visuals and less tunnel vision.
- Meta Quest 2 has better audio quality and spatial sound than the Oculus Quest and Oculus Quest 2, which means more realistic sound effects and better immersion.
- Meta Quest 2 has improved controllers that are more ergonomic, responsive, and durable than the Oculus Quest and Oculus Quest 2 controllers.
- Meta Quest 2 has more storage options (64 GB, 128 GB, or 256 GB) than the Oculus Quest (64 GB or 128 GB) and Oculus Quest 2 (64 GB or 256 GB), which means more space for games and apps.
- Meta Quest 2 has more accessories available than the Oculus Quest and Oculus Quest 2, such as the Elite Strap, the Fit Pack, the Carrying Case, the Link Cable, and the Battery Pack.
How Meta Quest 2 became part of Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook)
Meta Quest 2 is not only a product of Markiplier Labs, but also of Meta Platforms, the new name of Facebook as of October 2021. Meta Platforms is a technology company that aims to create a metaverse, a virtual environment where people can interact with each other and with digital content across different devices and platforms.
Meta Platforms announced its rebranding at its annual Connect event in October 2021, where it also unveiled Meta Horizon, a social VR platform that allows users to create, explore, and connect with others in virtual worlds. Meta Horizon is one of the main applications that Meta Platforms wants to use to build its metaverse vision.
Meta Platforms also announced that it would rename its VR products from Oculus to Meta. This means that the Oculus brand will no longer be used for future VR devices or services. Instead, they will be called Meta products or services. For example, the Oculus Store will become the Meta Store, the Oculus App will become the Meta App, and the Oculus Link will become the Meta Link.
According to Meta Platforms, this adjustment was made to reflect the company’s emphasis on delivering a consistent metaverse experience across all of its products. Additionally, it stated that it wants to keep its VR goods and parent firm apart from one another. However, other detractors contend that Facebook’s reputational problems, such as privacy scandals, disinformation efforts, and antitrust cases, were the driving force behind this adjustment.
Red More
Existing consumers of Oculus goods won’t be impacted by this change, according to Meta Platforms. They can continue to use their equipment and access their content in the same way. They will also have to accept new privacy and terms of service policies that reflect the new name and mission of Meta Platforms.
