Meta Project Cambria VR Headset Is Just Around The Corner

Virtual reality and even the metaverse may have taken a backseat in the news, but that doesn't mean it has fallen off the map. VR's presence was definitely seen and felt at the ongoing Gamescom trade fair, and there might even be bigger news coming our way in the next few months. There are very few big names in the VR market these days aside from HTC Vive and Oculus, though the latter has been engulfed by its parent's Meta brand. Some might still be mourning the death of Oculus, but Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is assuring fans and customers that it's still in the game, and its CEO just gave a ballpark date for the release of its next VR headset.

It's rather disappointing that Meta decided to retire the Oculus brand, considering Oculus has had a more established identity in the VR market. It's not exactly surprising, though, given what companies usually do after an acquisition. It did raise concerns about whether Meta has given up on VR, which would have implied backtracking on its metaverse mission.

That's not the case, of course, and Meta is apparently ready to reveal what it has been working on for so long. Rumors about a new headset codenamed Project Cambria have been going around for almost a year now, ever since the device was teased at Meta's Connect 2021 conference. There are still no concrete details, at least not officially, but we might not have to wait long to get the full scoop about Meta's first VR headset under its own name.

Speaking with Joe Regan on his podcast (via Spotify), Mark Zuckerberg revealed that Meta's next VR headset will be coming in October. That could very well happen during the company's annual Connect event, though the date for the conference this year hasn't been disclosed yet. More importantly, however, Meta's head honcho revealed some key highlights of the device that could be a game changer for the metaverse.

While there are already a few VR headsets that feature eye tracking, the Project Cambria device will take that to the next level with facial tracking. This feature would be useful in controlling your avatar's facial expression based on your real-world expression. For creating a believable metaverse social experience, those nuances are going to be critical. Some, of course, might find that creepy or uncomfortable, especially since you won't be able to mask your reactions behind your expressionless avatar anymore. Then again, that's how we interact in face-to-face situations anyway.

Past rumors about the headset point to specs like higher-res displays and pass-through cameras for augmented reality. The device won't be called Project Cambria, of course, but could be marketed as the Meta Quest Pro or Meta Quest 2 Pro, the first Meta headset that isn't an Oculus rebrand. That would suggest that it would be a standalone headset, unlike the retired Oculus Rift line that had to be connected to a PC. It is expected to carry a heftier price tag, too, at least compared to the $400 Meta Quest 2.