Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg took to Instagram on Tuesday to knock Apple’s new Vision Pro headset while singing the praises of his own company’s Quest 3 alternative.
In a video lasting 3 minutes and 40 seconds and shot entirely on the Quest 3, The Zuck only had two positive things to say about the Vision Pro, praising its higher screen resolution and its “really nice” eye-tracking. For the rest of it, he lauds Meta’s Quest 3 headset while at the same time tearing into Apple’s competing device, which launched earlier this month.
“I finally tried Apple’s Vision Pro, and I have to say, before this, I expected the Quest would be the better value for most people since it’s really good and like seven times less expensive, but after using it … I think that the Quest is the better product, period,” Zuckerberg says at the start.
Besides that massive price difference — $500 for the Quest 3 compared to $3,500 for the Vision Pro — the Meta CEO also claimed that his device was more comfortable to wear, partly because it weighs 120 grams less than Apple’s product. He also noted that no wires get in the way, unlike with the Vision Pro, which comes with an external battery back.
“Apple’s eye tracking is really nice,” Zuckerberg says, noting that Meta plans to bring the same technology to future Quest headsets after leaving it out of the Quest 3.
The Meta boss also says how Quest’s immersive content library “is a lot deeper, we’ve been working with studios, building virtual mixed-reality games and other content for a long time now,” though Apple is expected to catch up here as more developers start taking an interest in the Vision Pro.
Now, when you watch the video, keep in mind that this reviewer is not any reviewer. It’s Mark Zuckerberg, head of a company that is investing huge amounts of money in virtual reality and the so-called “metaverse,” and so it really doesn’t want to see Apple come along and take all the glory.
If you’re a potential customer who’s torn between the Quest 3 and the Vision Pro, the wise thing to do is to seek out reviews from neutrals rather than relying on the person at the head of the company that made the product, though in fairness Zuckerberg does make some valid points. And do take both devices for a spin before you buy, if possible.
While many believe Apple’s Vision Pro could indeed threaten Meta’s efforts to make a success of its Quest devices, others think that Apple’s entry into the market could also boost interest in face-based computers and ultimately lead to more headset sales for Meta.
