Meta has officially decided to pull the plug on the Quest Pro, its first venture into the world of mixed reality headsets.
In a move that was first hinted at in September, Meta began winding down sales for both the Quest 2 and Quest Pro. Back then, the plan was to continue selling these models until the year’s end or until existing inventory ran out, whichever happened first.
Now, if you head over to what was previously the Quest Pro’s order page, you’ll find Meta steering customers towards the Quest 3, describing it as the go-to for a top-tier mixed reality journey paired with premium comfort. Interestingly, even though the Quest Pro itself is no longer available, its ‘Touch Pro’ controllers are still on the market as they are compatible with Quest 2 and subsequent models.
Originally launched in 2022 at a hefty $1,500 price point, the Quest Pro was Meta’s bold attempt to drive its mixed reality aspirations forward. This headset was groundbreaking at its debut, boasting features like color-passthrough, advanced pancake lenses, and both face and eye-tracking. It was quite the contrast to Meta’s more wallet-friendly Quest 2.
However, nearly a year into its journey, the Quest Pro didn’t quite capture the attention Meta had anticipated. This lukewarm reception led Meta to drop the price to $1,000. The initial steep cost posed a hurdle for developers too, meaning compelling mixed reality experiences were few and far between.
Understanding the need for a more consumer-friendly option, Meta unveiled the Quest 3 in October 2023. This model carried forward much of Quest Pro’s technology, skipping only the face and eye-tracking features, and entered the market at a more approachable $499.
Pushing the boundaries further, Meta introduced the Quest 3S a year later. It shares the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset with the Quest 3 but opts for the more economical Fresnel lenses featured in the Quest 2. This move signifies Meta’s most vigorous effort yet to seize the mixed reality market.
While Meta’s strategy to hit the console-level price point has been successful, it remains to be seen if the company will revisit a premium ‘Pro’ pricing model. Last year, there were whispers about a possible new Quest Pro being shelved. However, Meta’s CTO, Andrew Bosworth, somewhat debunked this, teasing that “there might be a Quest Pro 2, there might not be. I’m not really telling you, but don’t believe everything you read about what’s been stopped or started.”
