Is the Quest's success more about ignorance of its relationship to Facebook or is it more about it being a low-priced entry VR set for a market segment where privacy doesn't really matter at all to most people? I don't mean that to be dismissive, I'm genuinely not sure if I can make a strong case in either direction. But if the success boils down to "my kid wants a VRChat headset, who cares who makes it", I'm not sure that attitude will carry over to a product category with more social implications.
I don't personally think that the Meta branding is distinct enough from Facebook to pull that trick off in the way that WhatsApp or Instagram does, but I'll admit I could be out of touch. And I think Facebook's continued success has a lot more to do with inertia and lock-in than a lack of general consumer privacy concerns, but I could be projecting there.
I just think my instinct is that any of the social backlash that Google got over Glass is going to be hugely amplified for a Facebook product regardless of whether or not they hide behind the name Meta and that backlash seems likely to shape the narrative and how people find out about the product. But :shrug: maybe I'm wrong.
I actually agree on all points, but still think Meta has the social capital needed to do this.
Price point for VR is for sure a factor for VR uptake and would make a decision more difficult for a privacy concious parent. However critical mass is the key - same as Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. If all of your 13 years friends are on the Quest, that's what they want. Just like many of us retain these awful messaging platforms as that's where our friends communicate.
Glass did have a massive backlash. But 2013 was a long time ago. Big single ear bluetooth headphones were mocked, COVID hadn't happened, Netflix wasn't even around (or at least, not in any form recognisable).
I think the Google Glass was a victim of being too early. We have adjusted rapidly to ubiquitous technology around us, people are embracing AR daily. Hindsight will tell, but now or very soon is the time for AR to be embraced by general users.
I don't personally think that the Meta branding is distinct enough from Facebook to pull that trick off in the way that WhatsApp or Instagram does, but I'll admit I could be out of touch. And I think Facebook's continued success has a lot more to do with inertia and lock-in than a lack of general consumer privacy concerns, but I could be projecting there.
I just think my instinct is that any of the social backlash that Google got over Glass is going to be hugely amplified for a Facebook product regardless of whether or not they hide behind the name Meta and that backlash seems likely to shape the narrative and how people find out about the product. But :shrug: maybe I'm wrong.