A Fierce Competition Ignites in the World of Virtual Reality Between Two Tech Titans: Meta and Apple

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, Engages in Spirited Debate on the Messaging Platform Threads with Benedict Evans, Partner at Mosaic Ventures

At the Center of the Exchange are Both Companies' VR Headsets – Meta's Quest and Apple's Newly Introduced Vision Pro

Evans Reveals That Some of Meta's VR Engineers Have Referred to Vision Pro as "Basically the Same" as the Quest, a Statement He Himself Found Astonishing

Zuckerberg Responded Claiming the Quest Headset to Be Not Just Equal, but Superior. He Emphasized That Meta Does Not Aim to Replicate the Technical Specifications of the Apple Product, Especially Not Its Weight, Motion Blur or the Lack of Precise Input Options. Rather, He Criticized the Compromises Made by Apple, Which Would Make the Vision Pro Inferior in Many Aspects.

This exchange sheds light on the escalating rivalry between Meta and Apple in the VR sector. While Apple positions a high-end product with the Vision Pro, dazzling with its impressive technical specifications, including 12 cameras, a LiDAR sensor for real-time 3D measurement, and the powerful M2 chipset, Meta emphasizes a blend of high-quality features and accessibility with the Quest Pro. The Quest Pro shines with a full-color mixed-reality passthrough, precise tracking of eye and facial movements, and the premium Touch Pro controllers for immersive 360-degree movement in virtual space.

This debate reflects the differing philosophies of the companies. Apple focuses on premium products with correspondingly high prices, while Meta tries to make VR technologies accessible to a wider audience. Both approaches have the potential to drive the development and dissemination of virtual reality, but in very different ways. Meta's Quest Pro, equipped with advanced technology such as the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 1 chipset, positions itself as a powerful device at a price of around 1,200 euros. Apple's Vision Pro, on the other hand, offered at a price of about 3,500 US dollars, targets a market segment that values top performance and innovative features.

This development highlights the momentum in the virtual reality sector and points to an exciting future in which both Meta and Apple will play a central role. The choice between these different VR experiences will ultimately depend on the preferences of the end users, who will have to choose between high-priced innovations and more affordable, yet high-quality technology.