Meta cancels its Apple Vision Pro competitor

Well, folks, it looks like Meta has decided to hit the brakes on its ambitious plan to take on Apple’s Vision Pro with its own high-end headset, codenamed La Jolla. You might be wondering why this happened. Did they lose their spark? Did Apple intimidate them with its flashy gadgets? Nope, the reason is simpler—and more budget-friendly.

Meta’s La Jolla headset was supposed to be the answer to Apple’s $3,500 Vision Pro, and development kicked off with much enthusiasm last November. The tech world was buzzing with excitement, picturing Meta’s entry into the high-stakes game of ultra-expensive headsets. The plan was to have La Jolla ready to roll out by 2027, but that dream has now gone up in smoke. Why? Money, money, money!

The La Jolla was supposed to have these fancy MicroOLED displays, which are great for crystal-clear images but not so great for staying under budget. The projected costs for La Jolla skyrocketed, pushing the price way above Meta’s goal of keeping it under $1,000. Apparently, not everyone is willing to break the bank for a gadget that makes your face look like a sci-fi movie prop.

Here’s the kicker: even Apple’s Vision Pro, with its jaw-dropping $3,500 price tag, hasn’t exactly been flying off the shelves. If Apple, the king of making people want things they never knew they needed, can’t make a pricey headset a best-seller, then who can? If the market’s not ready to embrace one super high-end headset, there certainly isn’t room for two.

Meta seems to have realized this and decided to shift gears. Or, as Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth put it, “We have many prototypes in development at all times… Decisions like this happen all the time.” Translation: We’d rather save our money for something people might actually buy.

So, what’s next for Meta after shelving La Jolla? Don’t worry, they’re not stepping out of the headset game entirely. They’re just switching focus to something a little more wallet-friendly. Enter the Quest Ventura, Meta’s new contender in the affordable headset market. Rumor has it that Ventura could drop by the end of this year, giving VR fans something to look forward to that won’t require taking out a second mortgage.

But wait, there’s more! Meta is also cooking up some brand-new AR glasses, expected to make their debut next month.For committed individuals, the Quest 4 is expected to come out in 2026. Certainly Meta has not run out of ideas, just that they are not the kind that costs an arm and a leg.

It is unfortunate that Meta won’t have anything competing with Apple in the luxury headset department, but it makes sense. The reason being that spending a lot of money on an item meant only for few people does not make surrounding sense. Also, staying within your comfort zone is key; hence Meta knows its market well and appears more concerned about technology everyone can afford compared to high-end products.

So if you are looking for headphones or some kind of cool augmented reality glasses, look out for what Meta has. They may not give you good value for your money, but they will still be fun to have.

Q: Why did Meta cancel the development of its high-end headset?

A: The production costs of Meta’s high-end headset called La Jolla went through the roof because of the usage of costly MicroOLED displays.

Q: Is Meta still working on other headsets?

A: Yes. This corporation is putting focus on other cheaper alternatives such as Quest Ventura which is anticipated to come out by the end of this year and new AR sunglasses whose launch is planned for next month.

Q: What is the future of Meta’s VR and AR devices?

A: Meta is continuing its efforts in VR and AR, with plans for a Quest 4 release in 2026 and ongoing development of new AR glasses.

Q: How did Meta’s CTO Andrew Bosworth respond to the cancellation of the La Jolla headset?

A: Andrew Bosworth stated that Meta constantly develops various prototypes and that decisions to cancel some projects are part of the usual development process.

So there you have it, folks! Meta is sticking to its guns and focusing on tech that we can all get excited about—and, more importantly, afford. Stay tuned for more updates as Meta continues to innovate in the VR and AR space.