What to expect at Meta Connect 2022 (and what we know about the Meta Quest Pro)

Meta Connect 2022, the Facebook parent company's developer conference, is right around the corner, and we're thirsty for Meta Quest Pro deets. To quench our thirst, we're catching up on everything we know about what's coming on Oct. 11, and what else we think may be on the docket.

Meta Quest Pro

The Meta Quest Pro will be Meta's virtual reality solution for businesses and workplaces. The device has previously been referred to as Project Cambria and is an upgraded version of the consumer-marketed Quest. An amateur video of what appeared to be a Pro prototype leaked several weeks ago, showing a sleeker, thinner frame without adjoining gaskets to block out light. The Pro will likely leverage thin pancake lenses and pass-through technology, as well as eye-tracking tech, to enhance remote work set ups and provide new solutions for on-the-job training. It's been rumored to be priced around $1,000, a big jump up from the $399 Quest 2.

Meta Quest 3

YouTuber SadlyItsBradley detailed a leak of CAD images for the Quest Pro 3, which is known internally within Meta as Stinson. Though the device is slated for release next year, we may hear some details around what we can expect from Meta's future consumer devices. The Stinson appears to be a mixed reality device using the aforementioned pancake lenses and five cameras, but without eye or face tracking. That means it'll be a cheaper device than the high-end Pro.

Horizon Worlds

Given Meta's investment in Horizon Worlds, it's likely we'll hear about new ways that Meta hopes people will connect and create on the platform. After recently being mocked for the platform's low-res graphics, Zuckerberg posted sleeker, sharper images of what the company had been working on. It's that version of Horizon Worlds that we may be introduced to at Connect.

Creativity in the metaverse

Meta has been investing heavily in its marketing of the metaverse to creators. It's a space for unprecedented expression, they say, where developers and artists can build new kinds of businesses.

We know Connect will include breakout sessions with names like "Build Immersive Experiences," "Create Natural Interactions," and "Design for Everyone." Best practices from those sessions are probably aimed at developers, but they could be useful for artists, too. For an example of Meta's existing marketing material about this topic, it's helpful to check out its not-so-useful "Are We There Yet?" series, in which the company employed Keke Palmer to chat with Victoria Young of virtual sculpting duo YONK about her work in Horizon Worlds. While the episode doesn't explain how you can create in the metaverse (and fails to mention that you'll need to buy or borrow a $400 headset to do it), it does communicate the fact that you can create there. And once the metaverse becomes known as a hub of creative expression, it may just break through to new markets.

Want to know how to watch Meta Connect live on Oct. 11? Check out our guide.