In an exciting update from April last year, Meta revealed plans to extend its Horizon OS, previously exclusive to Quest headsets, to third-party devices. ASUS, Lenovo, and Xbox were expected to adopt this system, yet Meta has kept further details under wraps. However, according to credible leaks from the notorious tech insider ‘Luna,’ ASUS might be the first to launch.
Luna is well-known in the virtual reality community for sharing inside information about upcoming hardware and software. In the past, Luna accurately leaked details about Meta projects, such as the name ‘Quest 3S’ before it was publicly confirmed, and the addition of an Action Button to the headset.
Through meticulous datamining, Luna also uncovered a video demonstrating room-scanning for Quest 3 ahead of its release in 2023 and predicted new Quest software features, like app pinning on the Universal Menu dock, before Meta announced them.
Relying on anonymous insider information, Luna now suggests that the Asus Republic of Gamers headset may potentially become one of the first third-party Horizon OS head-mounted displays available on the market.
Allegedly known by the codename ‘Tarius,’ the headset is rumored to feature cutting-edge technology, including eye-tracking and face-tracking, comparable to Quest Pro’s sophisticated capabilities. It is said to boast advanced display options, either adopting quantum dot LCD with local dimming or going for micro-OLED screens.
If these rumors hold true, Asus might be set to release more than just a revamped Quest 3S with flashy RBG lighting. They appear poised to offer a significant evolution from Quest’s mainstream models, currently priced at $500 for the 512GB version of Quest 3 and $300 for the 128GB Quest 3S.
While it’s essential to treat this information as speculative, Meta’s urgency to act is evident, especially with Google preparing to launch Android XR. This operating system will power Samsung’s forthcoming XR headset, dubbed Project Moohan, which is anticipated to hit the consumer market later this year.
