What you need to know
- Leaker Basti564 found two new permission categories in the Quest v38 firmware for face tracking and eye tracking.
- Developers can actively develop games that use these features right now, although no currently available Oculus headset can make use of them.
- It’s thought that the upcoming Quest Pro, or Project Cambria, will feature both face and eye tracking to compete with the PS VR2.
Meta Quest Pro leaks are out in full force right now, and the latest info points to the possibility of the headset having both face tracking and eye tracking. While it’s not known how Meta would achieve the face tracking capability, this particular piece of info corroborates what Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in an interview way back in March 2021 about the headset having both features.
Leaker Basti564 found two new permission categories in Oculus Quest 2 v38 firmware, which went out to all Quest 2 headsets in March 2022. Developers of the best Quest 2 games are able to use either of these categories to request access to eye tracking or face tracking sensors — neither of which the Quest 2 has — showing that Meta is already building Quest Pro features into the existing Quest operating system.
Zuckerberg has previously stated several times that a potential Quest Pro was in the works and would hopefully be filled to the brim with cutting-edge sensors like face and eye tracking. Sony’s upcoming PS VR2 has eye tracking and was thought to be the first consumer-level headset to launch with such a feature, but Meta could beat them to the punch if the Quest Pro comes out this Summer or Fall as is currently expected.
Back in February, Meta added full-body tracking to the Quest OS, showing that the company has consistently been working on new features for upcoming VR headsets. Having face, eye, and body tracking would certainly make the Quest Pro a force to be reckoned with.
A few days ago, we got the best look yet at the upcoming Quest Pro hardware, also known as Project Cambria. Those renders came by way of Brad Lynch, a YouTuber who specializes in VR research and analytics. Just yesterday, Brad revealed that the upcoming Quest Pro could feature a human eye resolution display thanks to T-REx super resolution lenses. If the Quest Pro does get released this year, there’s little doubt it’ll push the envelope for standalone VR headsets.
