Despite tuning into the Meta Connect 2023 showcase in the hopes of upgrading my aging Meta Quest 2 with a more powerful gaming headset, it was another feature that caught my eye. As part of Meta's push to mixed reality, Augments was the most exciting reveal at Connect, but despite a broad "next year" window, the feature is still no closer to releasing.
As one of the best VR headsets on the market, Meta Quest 3 is currently fighting the Apple Vision Pro for the future of mixed reality technology. As Apple Vision Pro expands to more countries than just the sole market it's currently in, Meta is still keen on copying the best features of Apple's headsets. However, while spatial images and travel modes sound exciting enough, I think Augments could be the way Meta wins the war.
Of course, considering the tepid Apple Vision Pro reviews and the price difference between the Quest 3 and Apple's headset, most people interested in the technology will still go for the former. Add in the fact that a Meta Quest 3s model could make it even more accessible, and it seems Meta is on a winning path regardless. But, for those interested in mixed reality, Augments is the biggest feature we're still waiting to see more of.
Described as "persistent spatially-anchored digital object" by Mark Zuckerberg during the Connect showcase last year, Augments would give you numerous items and objects to interact with in the XR version of your home. You could have speakers playing the radio, place moving pictures and videos of your friends and family in photo frames, or have your social media feeds directly on your table. Or, you could simply have decorations inspired by your favorite titles.
However, despite the cheers heard in the audience and the broad release window of "next year", which we're now in, there's no sign of Augments anywhere. Meta hasn't shared any information about the upcoming feature, and despite some groundwork being added during updates (according to leaks), we know as little as we did last year.
The idea of having persistent objects that await you every time you launch your Meta Quest 3 sounds and looks really interesting, and while some of the best Meta Quest 3 games offer mixed reality modes, Augments would make me return to passthrough more often. While I'll still put the focus on gaming with the headset, especially with the Batman Arkham Shadow release date coming up, I still want Augments to give me more reason to use my headset.
In all honesty, if the feature is still alive, I imagine we will see it when we watch the upcoming Meta Connect 2024 showcase later this year. If the awaited Augments don't appear, I think we can start worrying about whether the feature has been cut, similarly to that long-awaited GTA VR game.
While Meta is updating the Quest 3 to further fight the Apple Vision Pro, updating mixed reality's quality in an attempt to beat the competition, I hope they can bring the announced Augments in the near future. Who doesn't love the idea of doom scrolling their Instagram feed in mixed reality?