Following Meta’s big v67’s multitasking update earlier this month, the company announced it’s now rolling out its v68 software update for Quest, which features experimental access to Meta AI, a new utility app centered on home improvement, and some performance boosts too.
Previously only available on Ray-Ban Meta smartglasses, Meta AI lets you do your standard assortment of AI voice chat stuff through Bing, but it also taps into the headset’s camera sensors so you can ask it questions about what it sees.
It’s now launching on v68 in experimental mode on Quest 3, although at first it will only be avialable in the US and Canada in English.
Another update to come along with v68 is an app called Layout, a new tool that helps users visualize real-world items in their physical space. Meta expects you to do things like measure your room for furniture, make sure items are level, and see how common items might fit into your space—something the company says will help users simplify home arrangements and lessen store visits.
It also includes a host of virtual objects to play around with too, such as chairs, beds, couches, shelves, TVs, etc—allowing you to move and rotate stuff around your home. Check it out in action below, courtesy of MIXED:
While Meta is pitching Layout as an easy way to visualize potential changes before grabbing that 72-inch TV, the app may also serve as a ‘best practices’ guide on how companies might tap into XR for the future of e-commerce. Notably, Meta’s Horizon Store doesn’t have any sort of retailer experience like you might see on Vision Pro, which now includes a similar XR app by Best Buy.
Quest 3 also now supports Content Adaptive Brightness Control, which reduces contrast in darker scenes, improving the display experience. You can turn on this feature from Experimental in Settings.
Additionally, the v68 update introduces performance improvements, including faster app downloads with a new “Downloads” tab for better management. This also include a new frame timing algorithm to enhance graphic performance by improving frame rate and reducing latency in OpenXR apps, resulting in smoother visuals and less stuttering. As always, you can check out the full release notes here.
Like all Quest software updates, v68 is releasing on a rolling basis. To confirm, you can follow these steps to check your current software version, or manually download available updates:
- Press Meta button for VR headset controllers/oculus icon on your right Touch controller to pull up your universal menu.
- Hover over the clock on the left-hand side of the universal menu. When Quick settings appears, select it to open the Quick settings panel.
- Select Settings in the top right-hand corner.
- Select System, then select Software update from the left menu.
