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Meta says user retention is at an all time high
INSIDE: Apple testing new Pencil with Vision Pro support
Mathew Abraham
April 08, 2024
Greetings, AR enthusiasts.
Meta found out that people were spending more time with Quest 3 headsets than ever before.
A new Apple pencil is on the horizon, possibly with Vision Pro support
In today’s Phantom Thread, we will look at:
People are using their Quest 3 headsets for longer, says Meta
The next Apple Pencil model is being tested, could launch with Vision Pro support
Setting up Roblox for VR experiences
4 new AR Tools
WEEKLY THREADS
The weave: At GDC 2024, Meta’s Director of Content Ecosystem Chris Pruett said that more people were regularly using their Quest 3 headsets than ever before, and people are ready to come back and try new apps.
The strands:
Experts say this new boost could be attributed to the new lens system and the new headset chip, which also supports higher refresh rates and better resolution.
The Quest 3 also has passthrough, which brings in augmented reality features that let you see the world around you.
But others say most of the people that got a Quest 3 could be engaged with VR enough to upgrade to one, resulting in higher userretention.
The fabric: In any case, people are using their Quest headsets more than ever, and it gives Meta the opportunity to see what works and what doesn’t. It is also more evidence that one of the biggest problems with VR is slowly becoming a thing of the past.
The weave: Rumors say that a new Apple Pencil with Vision Pro support is being tested internally at Apple, which could be used in AR with apps like Freeform.
The strands:
These rumors come after a Unity dev found an unused reference to a stylus in a Unity package for VisionOS.
If the Apple Pencil makes it to the Vision Pro, it could unlock a new avenue for digital artists to refine their craft.
You can draw on the Vision Pro right now, but the hand gesture system is not precise enough, which is a problem the Apple Pencil can solve easily.
The fabric: We will need to wait until Apple announced the new Apple Pencil for confirmation, but if Apple’s aim is to eventually roll in the Vision Pro into their suite of hardware for creative work, the Pencil is a great first step.
AR TUTORIAL
Setting up Roblox for VR experiences
The weave: Roblox is not just limited to flatscreen experiences, and it does have excellent support for VR. It supports all Quest headsets as well as HTC Vive and Valve Index headsets as well.
Here’s our step-by-step guide:
Make sure you have Roblox installed.
On the Roblox app, go to Settings > VR and turn the toggle on.
Launch Steam VR or the Quest PC app.
Go back to your Roblox experience page if you are on SteamVR and hit play. If you are on the Oculus PC app, enable OpenXR Runtime and then hit play on the experience page.
WEEKLY AR TOOL ROUNDUP
Featured AR tools:
Open Brush 2.0 - A painting app for VR intended for artists of all skill levels and is available on Steam and Meta Quest.
Bigscreen - A streaming companion app that lets you cast Netflix, Hulu and other streaming services to your Meta or Steam based headset.
Provata VR - A VR meditation app for your mental and physical well being with meditation exercises that can be tracked with the iOS Health app.
Quill by Smoothstep - A VR painting app that lets you animate your creations in a virtual space with all the features you’d need from an animation tool.
FLASH FRAMES
The price cut for the Quest 2 has now hit Amazon, with the popular headset going for $200 for the promotional period.
A research paper published on the Journal of Invasive Cardiology says that aortic valve replacements, which are usually risky procedures, can avoid a lot of risk by going through potential post-op leaks using VR.
Bassmaster fishing pro says Ed Loughran says he has synced his forward facing sonar with his AR glasses and plans to use it in his next tournament.
Oppo teased their new AR glasses which could turn out to be one of the most glasses looking AR glasses ever designed.