META is ending support for a beloved virtual reality tool — and users are asking the company to rethink its decision.
In an email to owners of the original Meta Quest, the company informed them that the headset will no longer receive bug fixes or security updates as of August 31.
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Users will still be able to download new apps and continue using existing apps as long as they are supported by the developer.
Meta ended the email with a grim warning to customers: continue to use at your own risk.
“However, if any security gaps are found in futurepersonal data stored directly on or accessed from the device would be at risk of compromise,” the email said.
Confusion and outrage erupted on social media as customers continued to receive notices.
As one Reddit user put it: “A great tragedy befell this day.”
“I understand bug fixes, but no security fixes? Come on,” another Redditor complained.
“It’s really too bad – I still enjoy using my Quest, I can see how much nicer the new ones are, but I can’t afford a new one. I feel meta should at least do the bare minimum of patching security holes for older hardware.”
Meta first indicated that support would end in January 2023, when the company announced that it would stop releasing new Characteristic and apps for the headset.
Meta Quest debuted in 2019, originally known as Oculus Quest.
The headset was the first of its kind to offer positional tracking and six degrees of freedom.
The term describes the number of ways an object can move in three-dimensional space. Early VR headsets were typically limited to three degrees of freedom.
The original Quest isn’t the first VR tool Meta has abandoned, either. The company discontinued the headset’s predecessor, the Oculus Go, in 2020, but continued support until 2022.
And newer products continue to hit the market. This includes the Meta Quest 3, a mixed reality headset released in October 2023.
The Quest 3 reality bender allows users to “play a virtual piano on your coffee table” and “open a portal into your living room,” seamlessly blending the lines between digital and physical.
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The announcement may come in anticipation of the Meta Quest 3S, which is rumored to be a cheaper alternative to the Quest 3.
Meta did his part to fuel the rumors. The name “Quest 3S” appeared on the digital software store and CTO Andrew Bosworth demonstrated it in a video, seemingly by accident.
The company seems to be teasing upcoming developments in email.
“We’re excited about the future of Meta Quest and look forward to bringing you more ground-breaking MR experiences,” it said.
Virtual Reality vs. Augmented Reality – What’s the Difference?
Here’s what you need to know…
- Virtual reality involves using a headset to simulate a virtual world
- In a VR world, everything you see will be computer generated
- Popular VR headsets include the HTC Vive and Facebook’s Oculus Rift
- Augmented reality allows you to see the real world, but “augments” (or adds) computer-generated elements
- This means you’ll be able to see computer images superimposed on your real-world view
- For example, you can wear glasses that overlay directions on the road ahead
- Popular AR headsets include Microsoft’s HoloLens and Google Glass
- Meanwhile, VR headsets include the Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest Pro
- Some headsets offer mixed reality and can combine both experiences
