Here’s what you missed at Meta Connect 2022 - TechCrunch

'Seriously, legs are hard'

Last twelvemonth astatine Meta Connect, the institution past known arsenic Facebook dropped a bombshell: it would present beryllium known arsenic Meta and absorption connected gathering the “metaverse.” After investing billions of dollars into the aboriginal of virtual reality, the rebranded Meta came backmost this twelvemonth for its adjacent large announcement: legs. Yes, avatars are going to get legs — our disembodied torsos volition yet presume their bipedal form.

Okay, fine, we each cognize that the biggest announcement contiguous was the anticipated Meta Quest Pro, a high-end VR headset retailing astatine $1,499.99. But successful betwixt its caller hardware and… legs, Meta unveiled a fig of updates successful its program to predominate virtual reality.

Here’s what CEO Mark Zuckerberg and different Meta executives revealed astatine Meta Connect 2022:

• The Quest Pro is shipping retired this month. After months of buzz, Meta unveiled the upcoming Quest Pro headset. With Meta’s past headset, the Quest 2, the company’s extremity was to nutrient an affordable, consumer-grade product. But the mixed world Quest Pro is Meta’s accidental to flex the effect of each the wealth it’s invested into Reality Labs.
• Microsoft is partnering with Meta to bring workplace tools to VR. Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, joined Zuckerberg astatine Meta Connect to denote that Windows apps, a Teams integration and Xbox Cloud Gaming volition travel to Quest. Users volition besides beryllium capable to usage progressive web app versions of tools similar Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Outlook.

• Meta is truly doubling down connected this full “working successful VR” thing. Who’s the assemblage for a $1,499 headset? Corporations, maybe. Meta said it deployed 60,000 Quest 2 headsets arsenic portion of a concern with Accenture, and it’s gathering a “Meta Quest for Business” subscription merchandise adjacent year. “There’s an accidental for a VR headset designed from the crushed up to beryllium large for work, arsenic good arsenic playing games and hanging out,” Zuckerberg said. CTO Andrew Bosworth seems to beryllium connected the aforesaid page, noting that 1 day, VR headsets mightiness regenerate our desktops each together. We’ll judge it erstwhile we spot it.
• Meta yet revealed immoderate gross numbers. Until now, Meta has been beauteous cagey erstwhile it comes to revealing immoderate financials astir its metaverse (unless if it’s the SEC asking). Today, the institution said that its Quest Store has made implicit $1.5 cardinal connected income of games and apps. That sounds impressive, but see that conscionable past quarter, Meta invested $2.8 cardinal into virtual reality.
• It’s clip to get swole. Exercise is an unexpected usage lawsuit for virtual reality. There’s a batch to beryllium skeptical astir erstwhile it comes to Zuckerberg’s intense metaverse push, but VR fittingness apps similar Supernatural are really precise fun. Now, Meta is releasing a merchandise bundle to assistance you be… little sweaty erstwhile you’re boxing successful your headset. For $69.99, you get a wipeable facial interface, wrist straps and adjustable knuckle straps. Is that truly worthy $69.99? I don’t know, is the Quest Pro truly worthy $1,499.99? We’ll see.

• Meta lands a concern with NBCUniversal. As portion of a multi-year deal, the streaming app Peacock is coming to Quest. Meta besides said that it volition make experiences astir IP similar The Office, Universal Monsters, DreamWorks, Blumhouse, Halloween Horror Nights.
• Share videos from Horizon Worlds connected Reels. We’re not definite who wanted this, but sure. Why not. In each seriousness, it could beryllium a bully mode for Meta to simply rise consciousness astir what Horizon Worlds is and however (a tiny fig of) radical are utilizing it. But Horizon Worlds is benignant of boring astatine best, truthful we don’t spot this catching on.

• But what if legs could alteration everything? Yeah, Horizon Worlds is simply a beauteous cringe-worthy effort astatine convincing radical that the metaverse is cool. But what if our disembodied torsos yet had legs? In the adjacent update to Meta’s avatars, we volition yet look similar existent people. Kind of. “Seriously, legs are hard!” Zuckerberg quipped during the presentation.

Well, if you’re anxious to edit immoderate spreadsheets, hop connected Teams calls successful VR and agelong your caller integer legs, the Quest Pro is disposable for pre-order present and is expected to vessel October 25.