The Unveiling of Meta’s Defeat
Meta Platforms Inc. META has reportedly decided to discontinue its development of a headset that was intended to rival Apple Inc.‘s AAPL Vision Pro.
The Dawn of La Jolla
What Happened: The project, internally dubbed La Jolla, was part of Meta’s four-year strategy for virtual and mixed-reality headsets. The development of La Jolla, which began in November 2023, was abruptly canceled in mid-August 2024, AppleInsider reported on Saturday.
A Decision Under the Lens
The decision to abandon the project was made during a product review meeting attended by Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth, according to a report by The Information. Bosworth later commented on Threads, stating that many prototypes are in development at all times, but not all make it to production.
While the exact reasons for the cancellation are not known, it is speculated that cost issues may have played a part. According to the report, Meta was focused on keeping the cost of the La Jolla headset under $1,000, a target that proved unachievable.
Hope on the Horizon
Despite the project’s cancellation, sources within Meta suggest that the La Jolla headset could be revived in the future, and technology developed for it may be used in other products, according to the report.
Meta did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comment.
The War for Innovation Continues
Why It Matters: Earlier in the year, Zuckerberg had expressed skepticism about the mainstream success of augmented reality (AR) glasses, particularly those without “full holographic displays,” in a subtle jab at Apple Vision Pro.
Furthermore, Meta’s CTO Bosworth had also joined the chorus, highlighting several issues with Apple Vision Pro, essentially dismissing the reports about Cupertino’s first-generation mixed-reality headset being technologically superior.
Meanwhile, Apple’s Vision Pro is reportedly struggling to find its ‘killer app’ to justify its $3,500 price tag.