The next big release from Meta (what we’ve known until now as Facebook) in terms of virtual reality hardware has a code name, and it’s called Project Cambria . It was announced at the 2021 Facebook Connect, which was precisely the conference in which Zuckerberg announced that the company was going to have this new name. What do we already know about this enigmatic device?
Project Cambria: the future of the Facebook metaverse
Mark Zuckerberg has a clear goal for his company. He made that very clear last October when he explained to the world Facebook’s new approach and name change. Until then, virtual reality had only been one more branch of the company, which began with the purchase of Oculus in March 2014.
The Oculus ecosystem has improved remarkably during all this time. One of the priorities of its developers was that the Oculus software grow and gain utility. On the other hand, the company gradually evolved, achieving a broader user base with more accessible products such as the Oculus Quest 2. Thanks to this all-in-one device, many people have lost their fear of virtual reality and there is already a public on which Facebook can work its own projects based on the metaverse .
But… What exactly is Project Cambria?
We are talking about a new virtual reality helmet that Meta could release this year, but it will be completely independent of the Quest family that we already know. So it won’t be an Oculus Quest 3 or Oculus Pro, as has been rumored, but rather a completely new , high-end product, and certainly with a significantly higher price tag.
During these years, Oculus has focused on selling an affordable product, making virtual reality reach a more varied audience. Cambria’s idea would be to go much further, with an advanced device for those users who would be willing to spend more for a device with far fewer limitations, regardless of price.
What features could this new VR headset have?
If the rumors come true, Cambria will continue to be a standalone device —that is, it will work with its own integrated processor like the Quest series—, but with hardware capable of matching or even surpassing teams as ambitious as the HTC Vive Pro or Valve Index. Oculus confirmed long ago that they would never produce more computer-dependent equipment, so all the power of this new equipment will come from a much more powerful new chip.
All the focus of this new product would be on mixed reality and eye tracking , which would provide greater immersion in both video games and productivity applications. In addition, it would also serve to track the person’s face and body, transmitting this information to the avatars and thus ensuring that the characters that represent us in the metaverse are able to express themselves with the same naturalness that we do. They will also have new controls equipped with cameras and many more sensors to improve the experience.
Cambria isn’t going to replace the Quest series, though hopefully, at some point in the future, all of the tech we’ve got in this revolutionary new VR headset will make its way to Oculus’ more affordable series. This has already been confirmed by several Meta executives, so we can only wait for the official announcement of this mysterious Project Cambria, where we will find out what hardware will be inside, what news will it bring and what high price will we have to pay to get hold of one of these revolutionary teams.
