Image courtesy Meta
Meta (META) CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced a new virtual reality headset and the addition of legs to metaverse avatars Oct. 11 at Meta Connect, a yearly event displaying new technology from the company formerly know as Facebook.
At last year’s event, Zuckerberg revealed his plans for the metaverse and announced Facebook’s name change to Meta. Since then, Meta’s stock has fallen 62 percent, and Zuckerberg has received widespread criticism for his vision. The company’s new tech shows it is staying its course with its metaverse strategy. Here are the outtakes from the event:
- Meta launches legs. Previously, avatars were floating heads and torsos. Zuckerberg said the technology to make realistic legs has been difficult, and they will first appear in Horizon Worlds, Meta’s online game.
- Microsoft (MSFT) will replicate Teams, its business communication platform, in the metaverse. Using the Meta Quest headsets, employees will be able to host meetings in the virtual 3D space. Employees will need to have access to headsets to participate, and companies opting into this tech might need to supply them.
- The Meta Quest Pro, Meta’s new headset, will cost $1,500 and begin shipping Oct. 25. This price is a hike from the Meta Quest 2, the model preceding the newest one, which costs $400 to $500 based on gigabyte storage. The Pro offers one-third more pixels and more realistic facial expressions for avatars.
- Meta doubled down on fitness in the metaverse by releasing new workout games and a bundle for its workout equipment costing $70. Meta is also making it easier for developers to create fitness content.
