The name of Meta’s next – and rumoured to be more affordable – virtual reality Quest headset has seemingly been leaked.
Meta’s upcoming mixed reality headset will apparently be called the Quest 3S. The news comes via a Quest Store listing spotted by UploadVR, Meta lists the Quest 3S as a supported device. Since this device is not yet on the market, it seems likely that this will be the next headset released.
At this time of writing, the Quest 3S is listed alongside the existing headset models in the listing for a number of apps, including the Alo Moves XR app, as spotted by The Verge.
There are a number of other apps included, suggesting that this isn’t a one-off or a glitch, and that the upcoming headset will have widespread functionality.
What is Meta’s Quest 3S?
Following on from the Quest 3, which has drawn criticism for being the most expensive headset yet, the next headset will reportedly be a more affordable alternative. This name appears to underline this rumor, mimicking Apple’s tendency to name its smaller, cheaper versions of the previous name with a simple ‘S’ afterward.
During an internal presentation last year from Mark Rabkin, Meta’s vice president of VR, he mentioned that a cheaper mixed reality headset was coming up on the company’s product roadmap, codenamed Ventura. At the time, Rabkin stated that the goal was to “pack the biggest punch we can at the most attractive price point in the VR consumer market.”
Seeing as the Quest 3 came out in October, we could see a Quest 3S release window as early as this fall, or there could be a longer wait in store. Not many details are yet known about the headset aside from the tight-lipped comments from Rabkin and some unsubstantiated rumors. With the Quest 3 playing a big role in generating $1 billion in quarterly revenue for Apple, it seems unlikely that the company will quit while it’s ahead.
Featured image: Meta
