Meta Pulls the Plug on Quest Pro

In a surprising twist in the virtual reality landscape, Meta has officially ceased the sale of its high-end device, the Quest Pro. This news was first reported by UploadVR and comes shortly after the company announced it would be discontinuing the headset due to underwhelming sales performance. Initially, Meta indicated that it would continue selling the Quest Pro until the end of the year or until remaining stock ran out—clearly, neither of those scenarios played out as expected.

The Shift in Focus

The Quest Pro, priced at $999, has now had its product page updated to read, “Meta Quest Pro is no longer available,” urging potential buyers to explore the Meta Quest 3 instead—a device that has garnered more favorable reviews than its pricier predecessor.

Consumer Response

Despite the Quest Pro’s advanced features, which included upgraded internals and unique functionalities compared to the Quest 2, the hefty price tag coupled with a cumbersome design led to disappointing sales figures. Consumers just couldn't justify the cost for a device that, despite offering enhanced performance, still fell short in delivering a truly compelling VR experience.

Market Challenges

To add insult to injury for the Quest Pro lineup, recent reports indicate that other high-end VR devices, such as Apple's Vision Pro, have also struggled to gain traction in the market. Despite earlier improvements in performance, Apple has reportedly reduced its manufacturing output for the Vision Pro.

Looking Ahead

In light of Meta's recent moves, it's clear that the high-end VR market faces significant challenges in appealing to everyday consumers. The Quest Pro's Touch Pro controllers, however, remain available and are compatible with the Quest 2 and newer models, indicating that Meta is still invested in the controller market even as it phases out the Quest Pro itself.

Conclusion

As we move forward into a new era of VR technology, questions arise: Will the Meta Quest 3 fill the void left by the Quest Pro? Are consumers ready to invest in VR headsets at all? Only time will tell, but for now, Meta appears to be repositioning its focus towards more commercially viable options. Stay tuned for what comes next in the constantly evolving world of virtual reality!