Meta opens Hyperscape rooms to friends

Meta is rolling out a new update to its Hyperscape Capture. The update lets people join others inside photorealistic VR replicas of real rooms captured with Hyperscape.

The tech giant launched Hyperscape Capture (Beta) during this year’s Meta Connect event. Users now have a quick way to turn real rooms into immersive digital replicas.

Meta’s Hyperscape lets eight people join at the same time

According to a blogpost by Meta, friends can enter a shared VR space through a shared link.

Up to eight people can join simultaneously using a Meta Quest 3/3S headset or the Meta Horizon app on any iOS or Android device.

Sharing a Hyperscape world is simple. Users can generate a link via the “invite” or “share” button to share through chats or messaging apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram.

Only people aged 18 with the link can join, and users can reset access anytime.

Meta simplifies the creation of immersive digital replicas with Hyperscape Capture (Beta). Users equipped with a Quest 3 or 3S headset can transform real spaces into photorealistic VR environments in just minutes. No costly camera equipment is required.

Meta offers several inspiring examples to showcase the potential of Hyperscape Capture. Users can explore digital replicas of Gordon Ramsay’s home kitchen, Chance the Rapper’s live room, Happy Kelli’s Crocs room, or the UFC Apex arena in Las Vegas, either solo or with friends.

Meta to roll out Hyperscape Capture this week

Meta is gradually rolling out the ability to share those captured spaces and hang out with others on Meta Horizon starting this week.

Users who haven’t gained access to share their Hyperscape worlds yet are advised to wait, as the update is being deployed. Meanwhile, previously captured Hyperscape worlds will remain accessible exclusively through the Hyperscape Preview app.

In addition, the tech giant is utilizing the Meta Horizon Engine for on-device rendering, enabling lower latency and travel features. Audio lets users feel present with friends anywhere.

“Some days you might want to immerse yourself in an otherworldly adventure, which is where our vast library of VR apps and worlds comes into play. And other days, you might want to visit a digital replica of a physical space you might not have the opportunity to see otherwise,” wrote Lisa Brown Jaloza from Meta.

With Thanksgiving near, Meta hopes that users will capture the holiday spirit and invite family who can’t be with them.

Meta pushes ahead with its AR and VR product lineup

Meta will launch its next-gen AR glasses this fall. These glasses are made with Luxottica, Ray-Ban’s parent company. The tech company has not shared sales data for the first version, and little is known about user adoption or the second-generation smart glasses.

Meta plans a 2025 smart glasses model with a viewfinder to read texts, translate, and scan QR codes. The company is developing a “neural interface” band to control smart glasses with hand gestures. Meta is also working on a smartwatch to complement its smart glasses as an optional upgrade to the neural interface band.

In 2022, Meta’s Reality Labs reported a $4.28 billion operating loss in Q4, pushing its total losses to $13.72 billion. Some past reports indicated that users may not be keen to revisit some of Meta’s VR experiences after their initial trial.

Shares of Meta Platforms, Inc. (Ticker: META) ended Friday’s session at $594.25. The stock gained 0.9% as investors reacted positively to forecasts of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut anticipated in December.

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