Meta Connect 2024 is fast approaching and one of the announcements we’re almost certain to get on September 25th will be the Meta Quest 3S. Not only have we seen a number of details from the usual leakers, but Meta itself has leaked the headset’s existence twice in recent months and now certifications from the FCC and Dekra have further cemented the idea that we’ll be seeing a new VR device soon.
Dekra is an independent product certification company, while the FCC is the Federal Communications Commission of the United States Government, and it is normal for both to review and certify technology before releasing it to the public.
91Mobiles has shared details of the certifications awarded to a new Meta device called the 'P97'; the Dekra document adds that it is a VR headset.
While the P97 is somewhat of a Meta device we’ve never heard of before, given the company’s usual announcement cycle (which involves revealing and launching new hardware at its annual Meta Connect presentation in late September or early October), these details seemingly confirm that we’ll be seeing something on September 25. So if you’ve been planning on eventually buying a VR headset, you might want to wait a little longer to see what Meta comes up with.
The virtual reality headset you've been waiting for
It's easy to get excited about high-end hardware, which is why you might be sad to see reports of the Meta Quest Pro 2 being cancelled and then happy to hear separate leaks that the Quest Pro 2 has perhaps morphed into a very different kind of headset, but for me, the announcement of the Quest 3S has me super excited.
I love Meta Quest 3 – if I didn’t think it was fantastic, I wouldn’t have given it five stars in our Meta Quest 3 review – but while it’s excellent value for money, it’s still a lot more expensive than its predecessor, Meta Quest 2, costing $499.99 / £479.99 / AU$799.99 instead of the previous version’s $299 / £299 / AU$479 at launch.
Rumors suggest the Meta Quest 3S will be priced more in line with the Quest 2, but will still include core Quest 3 features like its Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset. If these reports are correct, the next-gen VR and AR experiences offered by the Quest 3 (like the exclusive Batman: Arkham Shadow game launching later this year) could be much more accessible than they’ve been so far.
And more people being able to afford great VR experiences is never a bad thing in my opinion.
We'll obviously have to wait and see what Meta announces, if anything. While I'm sure something is on the way, there's always the chance that the leaks are wrong and the Quest 3S is a myth. I sincerely hope it isn't, but we won't know for sure until September 25.
