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Latest Quest 2 Update Brings Encrypted Messenger, Parental App Locks & More

From roadtovr

Meta rolled out a new Quest update that brings to the headset some previously revealed stuff, such as app-based locks and tracking support for more keyboards, but also some new features too which the company hopes will instill more confidence in user privacy, including encryption for text and voice chats through Messenger and in-headset 3D Secure payments.

In the Quest v40 update, Meta is testing end-to-end encryption for Messenger’s one-on-one messages and calls in VR, which is now offered as an opt-in feature. The company initially rolled out encryption for Messenger on non-VR devices as far back as 2016, however this is the first time it’s offered on Quest headsets.

“Keeping your information secure is one of our top priorities, not just in VR but across Meta apps and technologies. When people trust that their conversations are truly private, they feel safe to express themselves and build stronger online connections,” the company says in a blog post.

Image courtesy Meta

Meta says you can check the privacy of your communication by comparing keys with someone. “If the keys match, messages and calls are secured with end-to-end encryption,” says a description of the feature.

Quest v40 also includes the app-based lock feature which was previously announced as a part of the company’s growing suite of parental controls. This lets parents restrict access to certain apps, requiring them to input a pattern to unlock content that might otherwise be unsuitable for their kid’s age. Meta calls it a “starting point for parents as we begin rolling out our parental supervision tools in the coming months.”

The update brings a new spin on how users enter 3D Secure info when using a credit card too. Before the update, users would have to input 3D Secure directly on the Oculus mobile app, however now you can manage the extra authorization layer whilst in VR.

And keeping users in VR seems to be the major theme with v40, as the update also now includes keyboard tracking support for the Apple Magic Keyboard with numeric keypad, and both the Logitech K375s and Logitech MX Keys.

First introduced last year, keyboard tracking lets you see a virtual version of a keyboard inside your headset to make typing easier. Until now, the only two supported keyboards were Logitech K830 and Apple Magic Keyboard (sans keypad).

Lastly, Meta has added two new options to its Accessibility menu which it aims to make Quest more comfortable for people who are hard of hearing: Mono Audio option, which disables spatial audio by projecting the same audio from both the left and right speakers, and the ability to adjust balance of the left and right audio channels.

To see if you already have v40, simply pop on your Quest 2, go to Quick Settings –> Settings –> System –> Software Update. There you can see the software version running on your headset and whether an update is available or not.

Meta Quest 2 Boxes Appear on Store Shelves, Rebranding Still Incomplete

From roadtovr

It seems the Oculus brand is finally departing physical retail. While Quest 2 boxes emblazoned with the new Meta name and logo are already on store shelves in the US, the swap from Oculus to Meta still has a ways to go.

Spotted by Upload VR’s Ian Hamilton, Meta has rolled out the freshly-rebranded Quest 2s to Walmart, one of its largest retail partners. So far, online retailers like Amazon, Target, NewEgg, and yes… also Walmart’s website still list the headset as ‘Oculus’ Quest 2.

And it doesn’t seem the company is worried about any of the self-inflicted brand confusion either, as the newly dubbed Meta Quest 2 oddly sits right next to a stack of the headsets in its original Oculus packing.

Look a little closer and you can see the 256GB version of Meta Quest 2, priced at $400, is also still labeled on shelves as ‘Oculus Quest 2’.

Image courtesy Ian Hamilton

The transformation from Facebook to Meta started back when the company announced in October 2021 it was putting a new emphasis on XR by becoming a “metaverse company.”

This also led to a progressive roll-back of the Oculus brand in effort to reposition its latest VR headset closer to its primary mission. And it appears that the rebranding has a ways to go, as the soft launch maneuver has yet to address some key areas.

Image captured by Road to VR

Oculus.com is still the main digital storefront, which mentions the name Oculus a half-dozen times in tandem with Meta.

If you want to buy a Quest 2 direct from Meta, you’re also still buying an ‘Oculus Quest 2’ under the Oculus warranty. Need product support? That Meta Support’s job, though they help you fill out Oculus bug reports for Oculus devices. The Meta Quest YouTube channel also still features the old Oculus logo.

Quest users however have recently seen the iconic Oculus startup image replaced in-headset with the new Meta branding. So there’s that.

Amazon Selling ‘Oculus Certified’ Refurbished Quest 2 with $50 Discount & Extra Warranty

From roadtovr

Oculus quietly began selling officially refurbished Quest 2 units earlier this month and now Amazon is offering them with an even more generous one-year warranty.

Starting in early February, Oculus began selling refurbished Quest 2 units with a $50 discount on either the 128GB model or the 256GB model. While it’s been possible to find refurbished Quest 2 headsets previously, getting one officially from Oculus brings greater peace of mind given the company sells them in the original packaging with all the original accessories, along with a 30 day return policy and a 6 month warranty.

Now Amazon appears to be offering the same refurbished units, ‘certified by Oculus’, at the same price but with an even more generous warranty.

Amazon is selling both models under its ‘Renewed Premium’ program, which in this case promises the headset will ship in original packaging with original accessories, have at least 90% battery capacity, and include a one-year ‘replacement or refund’ guarantee.

It’s not clear how many regions this is available in, but beyond the US we’ve also spotted the deal on Amazon in Australia, Mexico, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates.

Image courtesy Facebook

Given the timing, it seems likely that the refurbished offer is being made following a glut of holiday headset returns. Once that initial wave is diminished, it isn’t clear if the rate of return will be enough to persistently offer the refurbished Quest 2, or if it’ll go out of stock and maybe reappear at a later date.

Meta’s ‘Horizon’ Social VR Platform Surpasses 300,000 Users in 3 Months

From roadtovr

Meta opened its Horizon Worlds social VR platform in December, rolling out its proto-metaverse project to Quest users in the US and Canada. During an all-hands company call this past week—where CEO Mark Zuckerberg dubbed Meta employees ‘metamates’—the company announced its Horizon platform has now exceeded 300,000 users.

Meta’s chief product officer Chris Cox made a statement during the call regarding Horizon World’s user growth, saying that the social VR platform’s userbase had ballooned by a factor of 10 since its closed beta, now accounting for 300,000 users. The news was broke by The Verge’s Alex Heath, who was first to reveal the contents of the call.

A Meta spokesperson confirmed that number, stating that it includes the base social platform Horizon Worlds and live event viewing app Horizon Venues, but not the work-focused app Horizon Workrooms.

It’s not exactly clear what the number signifies in terms of actual Horizon users; it could refer to unique visitors over the lifetime of the project since launch, or monthly active users. Still, the milestone undoubtedly highlights the sort of immediate reach Meta has as the Quest platform holder.

Meta’s deep pockets also ensured that everyone at the Super Bowl could see Horizon in action, visually telling the story of a Chuck E. Cheese-style animatronic dog who is cast away from his pals and then meets back up with them in VR, underlining the tech’s ability connect people and share unlikely experiences.

300,000 is a big number any way you slice it for a VR app, although here’s some perspective. Rec Room—arguably Horizon World’s largest competitor—announced in early 2021 that it had broken one million monthly active users in VR, half of which used Quest 2.

Like Rec Room, one of the big draws to Worlds is the ability to create custom rooms using in-app tools, to which Meta says its users have now created over 10,000 worlds. Prior to securing a $145 million funding round, valuing Rec Room at $3.5 billion, the kid-friendly platform announced in 2020 its was hosting over three million user-created levels. Meta clearly has some ground to cover.

Some of that catch-up strategy will likely entail opening Horizon up to the rest of the world, and not just Quest users in the US and Canada. It’s still not certain when that will happen.

Eventually, Meta also hopes to fuse all of its Horizon apps to make them more accessible, which could even include the ability to connect with non-VR users too. That would put Meta much closer to its goal of running its own metaverse—what you might define as an interconnected, immersive experience that allows for persistent identity, items, avatar, etc.

While that day hasn’t come yet, with Meta’s (née Facebook’s) recent pivot to the metaverse, it may arrive sooner than you think. Shareholders are counting on it.

Buy an Oculus Quest 2 This Week and Get a Second for $100 Off

From roadtovr

Ahead of what promises to be an eventful sales season, it seems Facebook is getting a head start today with the launch of a week-long sale on Oculus Quest 2 headsets.

Oculus Quest ‘Space Sense’ Feature Will Alert You When Someone Invades Your Play Area

From roadtovr

Oculus Quest just got its v32 software update last month which brought changes to file syncing, friends lists, and a few other things. Now it’s been discovered that within v32 is a video showing off what could be an upcoming feature to Quest’s roomscale Guardian system, which appears to alert you when someone wanders into your play area.

Guardian, the playspace boundary for Quest, may be getting a facelift and a name change to go along with an upcoming feature, which could arrive in Quest’s upcoming v33 software update.

Called Space Sense, the feature was first discovered by German programmer ‘Basti564’. Mining through hidden v32 files, Basti found a video buried within that shows off Space Sense’s features.

Under the video was also menu text explaining what Space Sense does:

See Your Real-World Surroundings in VR

Enable Space Sense to see outlines of people and things in your Room-scale boundary. Staying aware of what’s around you while in VR helps keep you and others safe.

You can see outlines up to 9 feet away as long as it’s still within your boundary, and directly in front of your headset. You can turn this feature off anytime in Settings.

The implementation isn’t foolproof; someone can always walk up behind you outside of the sensors’ field of view. Considering the number of videos of people getting blasted by Touch controller punches, it’s undoubtedly good news for people with pets, kids, and people unfamiliar with how VR works though.

Space Sense isn’t live yet, however it’s slated to be one of the biggest additions to Quest’s roomscale detection system as of late. Guardian has mostly remained the same since launch of the Quest platform in 2019, save a feature added last year which detects static objects within a playspace such as tables or chairs left in the way during the setup process.