According to a Korean news report, Meta, the parent company of Oculus, is rumored to be partnering with LG to release a successor to its high-end Quest Pro virtual reality headset in 2025. The report, highlighted by UploadVR, states that Meta has struck a deal for a joint venture with LG, and the resulting headset is said to be priced at around $2,000, employing LG displays and other components from LG subsidiaries like LG Innotek. The news outlet, Maeil Business Newspaper, further claims that Meta will also release a low-end Quest headset in 2024, potentially costing under $200.
While Meta has not responded to a request for comment from The Verge regarding these rumors, some details in the report seem contradictory. A $200 price tag for the consumer Quest would represent a significant price drop since the Quest 2 currently sells for $299, despite Meta’s brief attempt to raise its price. Additionally, the upcoming Quest 3 was announced at $499. The report also mentions that the new high-end headset will be named the “Meta Quest 4 Pro,” which would break Meta’s convention of keeping the Quest and Quest Pro lineup numbering separate.
Despite these discrepancies, the report aligns with Meta’s past behavior in the VR space. The Verge has previously reported on a cheap headset codenamed Ventura planned for 2024, with a Quest Pro successor likely to follow. Moreover, Meta has a history of releasing joint-branded products in collaboration with other companies. Examples include the Oculus Rift S, which featured Lenovo branding, the low-end Oculus Go manufactured by Xiaomi, and the mobile Gear VR made by Samsung.
However, it’s important to note that none of these joint-branded headsets were considered the most groundbreaking releases from Meta/Facebook at the time. The Rift S was Meta’s final wired-only headset before transitioning to the all-in-one Quest series, the Go served as a low-end alternative to the Rift and Quest, and the Gear VR offered an affordable option compared to the cutting-edge Rift. One exception is Meta’s high-profile collaboration with Ray-Ban on smart glasses, although the company positioned it as an early exploration into augmented reality.
In the case of the Quest Pro, Meta has positioned it as a testing ground for innovative VR technology that will eventually trickle down to its more affordable mass-market products. If the reported LG joint venture materializes, it will be interesting to see how it differentiates itself from Meta’s previous partnerships to maintain that distinct role.
Ultimately, while the rumors presented in the Korean news report should be taken with some skepticism, there is a possibility that Meta and LG are indeed collaborating on a successor to the Quest Pro. The details regarding pricing and naming may not align with Meta’s previous strategies, but the overall concept of introducing a high-end headset alongside a low-end option does fit the company’s VR product roadmap. As the Virtual Reality market continues to evolve, it is essential to monitor official announcements from Meta to get a clearer understanding of their future plans.
