The latest update to the Meta Quest Pro has brought some significant improvements that I wish the Oculus Quest 2 got as well.
The first, and my favorite, is the introduction of background audio. Now when you’re sitting at your virtual desk in Horizon Workrooms, or playing a round of Walkabout Mini Golf, you can enjoy audio playing from the Browser app in the background. Log into your music streaming service of choice, or stay on a podcast, and with the background audio feature turned on you should be able to hear the audio while using another app.
To enable this feature, go to the experimental section of your Meta Quest Pro’s settings. Once there, you should be able to enable Background Audio Playback and give it a try.
The other update is a major change to the Quest Pro’s mixed reality capture tool.
I remember the YouTubers in attendance at a pre-launch event for the Meta Quest Pro weren’t thrilled to learn that mixed reality footage wouldn’t capture the real world. Instead, the in-game elements in the video would be shown against a completely blank black background. This wouldn’t make for interesting content and certainly wouldn’t do a good job of demonstrating the Pro’s MR capabilities.
Fortunately, v47 changes that. Now if you hit record while playing a mixed reality app like Tribe XR or Painting VR (one of the VR apps I recommended back in October) (opens in new tab)) you can capture both in-game and real-world elements in one video. So consider this your warning to remove anything embarrassing from your VR space before you hit record, because now it will be out there for all to see.
Make your wish list come true
Meta hasn’t forgotten those of us still using the Oculus Quest 2, as v47 also brings some (albeit minor) upgrades to your headset.
If you’re hoping to digitally unbox a few new VR games this year – perhaps some of our best Oculus Quest 2 games list – then you might appreciate the new shareable wishlist feature. In the Meta Quest Store, you can go to the Wish List tab, make your wish list public, and then create a link for other people to view.
The update also makes it easier to change the appearance of your Meta avatar. Thanks to the new mirror that appears in your Horizon Home environment, Quest 2 and Quest Pro users can see what your avatar looks like in real time. You can mix and judge your digital fit before jumping into a metaverse hangout.
Looking for something still not offered by Meta’s hardware? Check out our other picks for the best VR headsets.