Key Takeaways
- Meta announced the Quest 3S, the newest version of its Quest line of mixed-reality headsets, during the first day of its annual Connect conference Wednesday.
- The lower-cost headset will start at $299.99, compared to the existing $499.99 Quest 3 and Apple’s nearly $3,500 Vision Pro.
- CEO Mark Zuckerberg also highlighted new AI features for Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses and the introduction of celebrity voices for its Meta AI assistant.
Meta Platforms (META) announced a number of new products on the first day of its annual Connect conference Wednesday, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiling a lower-cost version of the company’s Quest virtual reality (VR) headsets, along with artificial intelligence (AI) updates.
Preorders for the Meta Quest 3S open Wednesday, and will launch Oct. 15 at $299.99, Zuckerberg announced, along with a $399.99 version with more storage. Meta’s Quest 3, which was announced at last year’s Connect event, still retails for $499.99.
The lower-cost model of Meta’s VR headset was rumored heading into the event, as reports indicated that lackluster sales for Apple’s (AAPL) nearly $3,500 Vision Pro led Meta to shelve making more expensive Quest models in favor of a more accessible option.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg also revealed Meta’s “Orion” augmented reality glasses at the event, as well as updated AI features like live translation for Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, celebrity voices for Meta’s AI assistant, and more.
Shares of Meta were up 1.5% at $571.82 in afternoon trading Wednesday and have gained over 61% since the start of the year.
UPDATE—Sept. 25, 2024: This article has been updated to reflect more recent share price information.