Meta may have yet to reveal it Project Cambria the world isn’t complete yet, but one analyst may have spoiled his announcement by revealing everything in advance.
Ming-Chi Kuo is a well-known and fairly accurate Apple forecaster, but lately he’s focused his analysis on the future of Meta VR headsets also. Continue Twitter (opens in new tab), Kuo has released his latest predictions for what we’ll see from Project Cambria (what he calls Meta Quest 2 Pro). So what might Project Cambria users come across?
Following the recently unveiled Meta visual enhancement theme VR headset prototypesKuo reiterated that Project will use Cambria Mini LED Displays and pancake lenses. This should not only improve the looks of the headset, but also shrink its form factor.
The device will also come with about 16 cameras, according to Kuo: 10 on the headset and three on each of the two controllers. These would likely be an integral part of the device’s AR capabilities, and work in conjunction with the headset’s purported 3D sensor support to create realistic experiences. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has has already shown off some of Cambria’s AR features in a strange demo Earlier this year, with AR appearing to be a priority for this headset.
Kuo also reiterates that Project Cambria will use eye and face tracking for improved expression recognition – another feature that Zuckerberg and Meta have said is a must-have for the next-gen headset. It is It remains to be seen how realistic these expressions are with the eerie valley in the background ready to turn the experience into a nightmare.
Interestingly, despite all these additional features, Kuo predicts that Meta will continue to use a Qualcomm XR2 processor, just like that search 2. Many developers we spoke to are desperate for a more powerful VR headset, so we expect Meta to want to deliver that with a new second generation XR2 processor – more power would also help the device to accommodate all of its new components handle it without being overwhelmed. But we have to wait and see.
Finally, Kuo predicts the headset will launch in the second half of 2022, which is kind of a gimmick. Meta is adamant that Cambria will launch this year, and considering we’re halfway there, there’s only six months left to deliver on that promise.
Kuo also suggests the headset will cost around US$799 (about £649 / AU$1159), if not more. meta has Lange called Cambria its premium headsetso we’re not surprised that it’s expected to cost more than twice as much as Quest 2.
As with all rumours, we have to take what Kuo says with caution. That being said, the analyst has a very strong track record of predicting Apple news based on his analysis of his suppliers, so it’s always worth paying attention to what he has to say.
Should you wait for Project Cambria?
Based on what Kuo predicted, is Project Cambria worth waiting for, or should you just grab a Quest 2 headset now?
Well, cost certainly seems to be the biggest factor here. As mentioned above, Quest 2 will cost at least half of what Kuo predicts for Cambria; If you’re on a tight budget, the Quest 2 is a clear winner.
That being said, don’t buy a Quest 2 right away. Whether you have extra money to splash or not wait for Cambria would be a smart move.
If you can afford it, Cambria will likely be the superior device with enhanced VR and vastly improved AR capabilities. It’ll also be more future-proof, so while it costs more, you won’t feel as much of the need to swap it out when it does search 3 rolls around.
But if you’re on a bigger budget, once Cambria launches, we might see the Quest 2 price drop permanently, giving you a little more savings on this device. Even if it doesn’t, Cambria’s launch could pave the way for some sales Black Friday discounts on Quest 2 later this year.
The Quest 2 delivers some of that best VR experiences Although Meta is planning a follow-up fairly soon, we’re sure you’ll enjoy using it.
