Speaker 1: Meta Connect Meta's Annual Virtual Reality Conference will take place on October 11th this year in Me Square, a custom built experience in Horizon Worlds. The company is expected to make major announcements about Project Cambri and its new virtual reality headsets like the Quest Pro. Last year's event was dominated by the reveal of the company's new name, met a nod to its focus on building the metaverse, what Mark Zuckerberg calls the future of the internet. Now [00:00:30] that the tech world has gotten used to the name change, we're more than ready to see the progress Meta is made in building the metaverse and take a look at what its plans are for the future. Here's what you can expect at this year's Meta Connect.
Speaker 1: Meta is expected to release four new headsets over the next few years using Qualcomm chips in August. Zuckerberg said that it's next headset would come out in October. Most likely during Meta Connect, it [00:01:00] will be called the Quest Pro Zuckerberg also confirmed the headsets announcement timing during an interview on Joe Rogan's podcast recently, and based on convincing looking leaks of the headset, we already know it's design and packaging. The headset Codenamed Project Cambria was announced last year. Project Cambria is expected to have improved hardware, features, sensors, and a significantly higher price. The headset looks to be sort of an AR vr hybrid, a bridge device that could be an amazing VR headset, [00:01:30] but also enable mixed reality combining video from the real world with VR via improved cameras. The Cambria will also add new sensor technology, specifically eye tracking and face tracking that could introduce new possibilities for interacting in VR and animating your avatar.
Speaker 1: Hopefully eye tracking will be a revealed feature of the new headset, as it will make a massive difference by reducing eye strain fatigue and adding new possible mechanics relating to this new feature. The AR technology should also help [00:02:00] with your awareness of the surrounding area will. Wearing the headset, meaning you could use more physical space to engage in the metaverse without worrying about bumping into real world hazards. Eye tracking is one of the biggest features needed to improve VR headsets. As our eyes naturally focus and blur out everything around a focal point, many VR users claim to experience eye strain fatigue with current VR hardware and graphics quality. But that eye tracking will also bring questions about meta's plans for data privacy. Despite Med's [00:02:30] mission to bring the world into the Metaverse, VR remains a technology that most people don't really use. However, VR headset sales have risen in 2022, as has virtual reality content with shipments estimated to reach 13.9 million devices according to market intelligence firm idc. The Quest Pro two headset isn't aimed at that mainstream crowd, but instead at business and pro users.
Speaker 1: In an August, Facebook post, Zuckerberg said that major [00:03:00] updates were coming to Horizon Worlds. One of the company's VR social apps also announced at the 2021 MediConnect Mehos to continue building a metaverse. With many virtual worlds where users can spend more time hanging out with their friends in these virtual spaces and even spend money on in-app goods, it's unclear what updates to Horizon will be. All we know is that they're coming this year's. Meta Connect will also focus on avatars. A core part of your virtual identity. How you customize and style your avatar [00:03:30] is key to how you express and represent yourself in the metaverse. In April, 2021, meta added new updated avatars to its Facebook reality Labs ahead of launching its social VR app Horizon. The animated avatars reacted better to hand movements, made estimations for body movement, facial expressions, and mouth movement to match conversations. Based on Meta Connect's programs schedule. The company wants users to create avatars that encourage more social interactions within the metaverse. Speaking of [00:04:00] social interactions, Meta Connect will also heavily center on programs for VR and AR developers looking to create content or commerce in the Metaverse. Meta's main goal is to build the metaverse beyond. The challenges of building entirely virtual worlds is filling them with enough activities to sustain long-term use. MediConnect developers programs offer information on how to grow your business within the metaverse, build inclusive environments, and foster connections with users.
Speaker 1: [00:04:30] We'll be live streaming the MediConnect keynote with Mark Zuckerberg at 10:00 AM Pacific time on October 11th here on our YouTube channel. Join us an hour early at 9:00 AM Pacific time with our pre-show and stick around after for our reactions to everything announced.
