- The Meta Quest headset is expected to introduce a new feature allowing users to view panoramic photos in VR, a functionality already available on Apple’s Vision Pro headset.
- This development was hinted at by code found in the Meta Quest iOS app, suggesting a future where users can immerse themselves in panoramic images taken with their iPhones.
- Despite these advancements, Meta Quest’s major challenge remains its operating system and user interface, which lags behind competitors like Vision Pro, though efforts are underway to redesign core UI elements.
The Meta Quest headset is poised to gain a new capability — showcasing panoramic photos for VR browsing, a feature already present on Apple’s Vision Pro headset. Last weekend, X user @M1 spotted a snippet of code within the Meta Quest iOS app indicating, “Your panoramic photos will appear here,” a discovery that other users subsequently verified.
Also read: Meta will launch Quest Pro 2 headset in the first half of 2025
Also watch: Apple Vision Pro: Does it live up to the hype?
Meta Quest users might soon enjoy this immersive experience
The precise details about this feature, including its launch timeline and presentation method, are still under wraps. Yet, the code suggests that Meta Quest users might soon enjoy an immersive experience by viewing iPhone-captured panoramic photos directly through the headset, mirroring a functionality available on Apple’s Vision Pro headset.
Notably, Meta Quest integrated support for Apple’s Spatial Videos format in its version 62 update, allowing these 3D video formats to be uploaded to Meta’s servers via the Meta Quest app for headset viewing.
Meta is renowned for incorporating competitor features
Meta, previously Facebook, is renowned for incorporating competitor features, so drawing inspiration from Vision Pro is hardly surprising. Supporting spatial videos and panoramic photos isn’t a significant stretch for Meta.
However, Meta Quest’s primary weakness lies not in its innovative features but in its operating system and user interface (UI), marking a significant drawback compared to Vision Pro. Meta’s Chief Technology Officer, Andrew Bosworth, recently hinted at efforts to “redesign some of the core UI infrastructure.”
