Latest Meta Quest 3 update improves mixed-reality passthrough yet again, and brings more iPhone-exclusive features
Meta is on a lightning-fast update release schedule
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A new month, a newMeta Quest 3headset update. V64 may have only landed (checks notes) 21 days ago, but we’ve got yet another upgrade courtesy of Horizon OS version v65.
Keeping up with the déjà vu, v65 brings with it yet another upgrade to passthrough, which was only just upgraded in v64, which added both exposure and dynamic range improvements, and an upgrade that makes it easier to see your real-world furniture while in VR and MR.
Now, Meta is finally giving players the option to stay immersed in mixed reality through their whole Quest 3 experience.
Previously, when you were in the lock screen, power-off screen, and a few other important menus, you’d be trapped in a gray VR void. Now, if you’re using MR home you’ll find yourself instead surrounded by your real-world space just like you would in any other mixed reality experience.
Sure it’s not the most flashy upgrade, but considering Meta’s monthly release schedule we’re not going to complain if some updates are simpler quality-of-life improvements rather than earth-shaking changes.
Some iPhone-exclusive upgrades
Beyond better passthrough, Meta has also introduced a few features for iPhone users specifically – perhaps in an attempt to further convinceApplefans they don’t need to shell out for anApple Vision Pro, or wait for thenow apparently delayed cheaper follow-up.
The first feature change comes to spatial video. Playback appeared via update v62 back in February, and if you had aniPhone 15 Proyou could upload your stereoscopic videos straight from your phone to your headset using the Meta Quest mobile app.
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Now you can upload your videos via any iPhone running iOS 17 or later – though capturing spatial video is still an exclusive iPhone 15 Pro andiPhone 15 Pro Maxfeature (unless theiPhone 16refresh brings it to more affordable models later this year).
Meta is also adding better support for still panoramic images. Alongside videos, you can now upload your panoramic shots from your iPhone to your Quest headset via the mobile app.
So, rather than simply viewing your shot on a flat screen, you can be re-immersed in the location where you took it. Again this has to be uploaded via an iPhone running iOS 17 or later.
There’s no word yet on when or if these features will come to Android devices, but we expect they will – especially if new Android devices start to introduce camera setups that can record spatial videos.
With aSamsung XR headset– whichGoogleis helping to make – on the way, we wouldn’t be surprised if this phone camera happened. But we’ll have to wait and see what Android phone makers announce in the coming weeks.
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Hamish is a Senior Staff Writer for TechRadar and you’ll see his name appearing on articles across nearly every topic on the site from smart home deals to speaker reviews to graphics card news and everything in between. He uses his broad range of knowledge to help explain the latest gadgets and if they’re a must-buy or a fad fueled by hype. Though his specialty is writing about everything going on in the world of virtual reality and augmented reality.
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