Meta has decided to cease updating the software that supports the original Quest VR headset. This means that users of the said device will soon be unable to access some social features.
No More Quest 1 Updates
In a report by The Verge, a number of Reddit and Twitter users have shared copies of an email stating that Meta would no longer supply updates for Quest 1. It also indicates that some functionality will be removed.
Nevertheless, important bug fixes and security updates until 2024 will be provided for the headset.
Just got this email from Meta. Looks like the Quest 1's days are numbered💀😥 pic.twitter.com/QV3EPBXIuR
— blaze5161𝕏 (@blaze_5161) January 9, 2023
Although the original Quests will continue to function, the email warns that after Mar. 5, players who presently have access to Meta Horizon Home social features will lose access to these functions. One of these is the experience of visiting other people's homes or being visited by others.
Owners of Quest 1 will be disappointed, although the change was foreshadowed.
As of last year, the battle royale game Population: One was no longer compatible with the headset due to a change made by Meta.
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Meta's Quest VR Line
The 2019 Oculus-branded Quest was launched in the latter half of 2020 and is the forerunner of the much anticipated Quest 2 headgear. Even though these two devices use quite different components, both headsets have received essentially the same updates for many years.
In 2020, Qualcomm launched the Snapdragon XR2 as a specialized processor for augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) headsets like the Quest 2, and it serves as the device's power source. Meanwhile, the 2017 Snapdragon 835 / Kryo 280 technology drives the original Quest.
As Meta tightens its resources and lays off staff, The Verge believes that Qualcomm may be terminating development support on their end or that Meta may be having problems building new features that fit with the platform's capabilities.
Even before his recent resignation, John Carmack had some tough words for Meta regarding the company's inefficient use of its hardware.
Meanwhile, Meta released a software upgrade for the Quest Pro VR headset with additional functionality in early December 2022.
The Latest, Most Updated Quest Pro
Then in October last year, the Meta Quest Pro finally arrived after a period of months of anticipation. Apparently, the company's goal in developing this new headset is to "make a metaverse a reality."
Meta's previous blog post discussed the Quest Pro's v47 upgrade, the first software patch for the company's late-October wearable gadget. This update adds two critical improvements that boost the device's mixed reality experience.
The Reality Content Capture integrates the real and digital worlds, allowing users to screen record from their headgear and show what is seen beyond it.
Moreover, the Quest Pro's 2D panel software lets users stream music and podcasts while playing games.
