Meta Could Team Up with LG to Build New MR Headset

Meta is joining forces with LG Electronics to create future Quest mixed reality headsets to compete with rivals, South Korean publication Maeil Business Newspaper reported over the weekend.

The potential partnership was first reported by SBZ Biz last year when it claimed the two companies had been negotiating for the new product. 

Early reports suggested that LG Electronics would produce the displays for the headsets before it was later revealed that it would also make batteries and other components.

According to the newspaper, Meta's LG-made headsets are expected to launch in 2025 and retail at around $2,000 - approximately $1,500 less than Apple's upcoming Vision Pro, twice the price of the current Meta Quest Pro, and four times the price of the upcoming Meta Quest 3, scheduled for this fall. 

However, whether the product will continue Quest's "Pro" line remains unclear, or the company plans to create a new premium flagship headset to match Apple. 

Meta's Alleged Plans Contradict Zuckerberg

While the two companies have yet to confirm the reports, Meta's potential decision to create an even more premium line of mixed reality headsets comes as a surprise, with Zuckerberg criticizing the Vision Pro and its price following its unveiling in June. 

At the time, Meta's CEO said Apple's headset offers "no magical solutions" that his team has "not already explored and thought of."

Zuckerberg also reinstated the "differences in values and vision" between his company and Apple, ensuring Meta's products would remain affordable and accessible. 

"There's a real philosophical difference in terms of how we're approaching this. And seeing what they put out there and how they're going to compete just made me even more excited and in a lot of ways optimistic that what we're doing matters and is going to succeed," he explained at the time.

Meta's plans to release a $2,000 headset in the future weren't confirmed, but whether or not it pushes through, it has a lot of work to do to match Apple's game plan with Vision Pro.