At present, Meta introduced new enhancements to the Quest platform as a part of the v50 OS replace, together with an experimental function referred to as “Direct Contact,” which lets customers faucet and swipe with their naked arms. The corporate additionally rolled out an in-game multitasking function to Meta Quest 2 and upgraded the Meta Quest Contact Professional controllers.
Whereas Meta already has hand monitoring, which launched on the Quest platform in 2019, customers will now be capable to do extra than simply pinch the air with a purpose to work together in VR. The Direct Contact setting permits customers to faucet on buttons, swipe by means of the sport library and use their arms to kind out messages on the digital keyboard — all with out using controllers.
Final week, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg posted an Instagram Reel that reveals a demo of the brand new function. From what we will see within the video, it feels just like utilizing the touchscreen on a smartphone — which is able to seemingly be interesting to many customers.
Zuckerberg wrote within the Instagram caption that these new hand gestures are “rather more pure.” The corporate added in as we speak’s announcement that Direct Contact gives a “extra intuitive and interesting technique to work together with the system and 2D panels normally.”
The function might be situated inside the Experimental Settings tab. It’s accessible on Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest Professional.
Meta Quest 2 customers are additionally getting the in-game multitasking function, which was beforehand solely accessible on Meta Quest Professional. When enjoying a recreation, customers merely choose the Meta Quest button and launch 2D apps from their library, resembling Instagram, the Meta Quest Browser and extra.
Picture Credit: Meta
With the v50 replace, the corporate additionally decreased the period of time it takes for self-tracking to start out on the Meta Quest Contact Professional controllers. So, now when a consumer places on their headset, it should take much less time for the controllers to grasp the place they’re. It should additionally reply faster for customers who swap from hand monitoring to controllers.
The corporate added that, sooner or later, it’s launching further upgrades to Meta Quest Contact Professional.
Meta continues to spend money on the metaverse, regardless of Actuality Labs, Meta’s VR and AR division, dropping $13.7 billion in 2022. Actuality Labs solely gained $2.16 billion in income. The corporate plans to launch a shopper VR headset later this yr.
Plus, Meta might quickly must compete with Apple as the foremost tech firm is reportedly launching its personal VR headset. Bloomberg reported that the headset would have superior eye-tracking and hand-tracking capabilities.
