What you need to know
- Meta began rolling out the Quest v65 update for Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest Pro and Meta Quest 2 on Tuesday.
- Now any iPhone running iOS 17+ can upload spatial videos or panoramas to Meta Quest for viewing in the headset.
- The update also adds a local multiplayer mode that saves boundaries and layout in a shared environment.
- Other v65 changes include permanent XR passthrough and mouse and keyboard improvements.
The new Meta Quest v65 update rolls out, allowing you to upload spatial videos or panoramas from your life to your Quest 3 or 2 headset for an immersive journey back in time. Unfortunately, you need an iPhone to do this; owners of Android phones are left out.
You can now upload panoramic shots to the Quest Files app to relive your ultra-wide-angle vacation photos in VR, but only with an iPhone running iOS 17. Panoramic shots have been available on Android phones for years, so hopefully Meta will bring this into the fold fix in a future update.
With the Quest v62 update, Meta has enabled spatial videos for the first time, allowing you to stream 3D home videos and get the proper stereoscopic experience. Currently, only iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max owners can record spatial videos, so Meta has previously restricted video uploads on older iPhones.
With the v65 update, according to Meta, they responded to feedback from “people who have spatial videos sent by their friends… but couldn’t upload them.” Now any iPhone can upload these types of videos, even if it can’t record spatial videos itself; The same simply doesn’t apply to Android.
The previous Quest v64 update added some impressive new passthrough tricks, making the visual quality significantly better. The v65 update has its own comparatively small passthrough update: you can now “remain fully in MR from the moment you turn on Meta Quest 3 until you drop it again.”
Essentially, screens that were previously in a “gray void,” such as the power off or lock screen menus, now display your passthrough environment, making them feel less isolating.
Additionally, Meta’s virtual positioning system (introduced in the v60 update) received a special upgrade for the lucky few who own multiple Quest 3 headsets or have VR-loving friends and neighbors. Now when playing local multiplayer quest games, both headsets can share cloud data such as saved boundaries and furniture between the headsets.
“Improved boundary detection leverages meta-server processing to increase the likelihood of detecting previously established boundaries, reducing the likelihood of being asked to redraw your boundary when moving between physical spaces,” says Meta.
Finally, if you use a keyboard and mouse with your Quest, this update ensures that you will “see fewer interruptions from hand tracking.” In other words, typing or moving your mouse hand shouldn’t trigger accidental hand movements as often.
Play the best VR games with the best graphics on any standalone VR system with Meta Quest 3. Plus, you get epic mixed reality games that transform your home into an active gaming space.