The latest MR headsets from Meta are axing a highly anticipated project. According to Engadget, the company has stopped working on this high-end gadget, internally codenamed La Jolla, after a product review meeting between chief design officer John Cormack and CEO Mark Zuckerberg. This next-generation headset was supposed to be available in 2027 with capabilities beyond the Quest 3.
One of the major reasons cited behind the axing is related to its estimated price. Meta has been trying to keep this headset under $1,000—approximately RM4,343. However, its ambitious scope made it hard to reach this goal. Supposedly performing way better than the current Quest 3 would have made this very hard to manage in terms of pricing.
Although it is already officially canceled, Meta hasn’t given up on MR headsets yet. The company is expected to release a new model by 2026, the Meta Quest 4. With that model, advanced technology will supposedly be integrated, possibly including facial muscle movement tracking, which was hinted at in recent patents.
The decision reflects Meta’s continuous strategy of balancing innovation and cost. While the project in La Jolla is scrapped, the focus stays on delivering top quality at affordable prices in MR devices. An MR device Quest 4 will more than likely say a lot about where Meta is headed and if they can continue to push the envelope within practical pricing constraints.
