Summary
Meta Quest2 and 3 have received an update that makes it possible to use theMeta Questvirtual reality headsets while on airplanes. The feature has been in demand for some time, so users should be happy for an opportunity to use their headsets in a way that will help to make travel time seem shorter.
Unlikewired headsets like Valve Index, Meta Quest headsets are wireless and don’t use tracking base stations. This is a significant boon for users, as they don’t have to trouble themselves with setting up dedicated space to use their VR headset in, significantly cutting down on setup time. However, while this frees up the Meta Quest so that it can be used just about anywhere, planes and other types of travel have been excluded from this due to the way that tracking works.
Now, an update toMeta Quest’s v65system software makes it so that gamers can make use of theirMeta Quest 2 and 3devices while traveling on planes. The original Oculus Quest and Meta Quest Pro have been excluded from this update. While it was previously possible to use the Quest on planes, it required making major concessions, forcing users to shut off positional tracking. This greatly reduced the functionality of the device, disabling passthrough mode and reducing it to 3 DoF.
Now, users can access this function through the Experimental area of the devices' settings. This will allow users to activate Travel Mode, which should work on any flight in motion. Meta has noted that the function doesn’t officially work on other methods of travel as of yet. The company also claims that in some cases, the headset may directly prompt users to enable Travel Mode if they’re on a plane.
Making Use of a VR Headset While Traveling
While this addition could be utilized to play some games, movement on planes tends to be restrictive. Simple hand tracking will be helpful here, but where this update will likely shine the most is with productivity apps, as well as entertainment apps like Bigscreen orYouTube on Meta Quest. Being able to block out the world around the user so that they can focus or simply tune out while traveling is something that should help to make travel time more enjoyable. Whether or not users really embrace this mode remains to be seen, as some VR enthusiasts still have difficulty with motion sickness when standing on solid ground. Nonetheless, having an extra feature available is always welcome, especially when an airplane-friendly travel mode was previously only available on devices like the much more expensive Apple Vision Pro.
Meta Quest 3
The Meta Quest 3 is the latest and greatest mixed-reality headset that brings a host of improvements compared to the previous generation. The Quest 3 has higher resolution displays per eye with support for 90Hz and 120Hz refresh rates.It uses a more powerful 2nd generation Snapdragon XR2 processor that is capable of running games like Asgard’s Wrath 2 natively. It comes with a full-color passthrough, improved controllers, and a slimmer form factor.
