Meta and LG's headset alliance could disrupt the high-stakes XR landscape

The news: LG will reportedly power Meta's next-generation Quest Pro headsets through its various subsidiaries. The first product has a targeted 2025 release.

Why it’s worth watching: As competition in the VR and mixed reality (XR) space intensifies, we could see consumer electronics giants team up with Big Tech companies to create more affordable headsets—accelerating VR rollouts.

• With Apple’s Vision Pro expected to ship in 2024, other firms are gearing up to compete against the iPhone-maker’s $3,500 headset.
• Reports place the LG-Meta headset's price around $2,000. While this isn't a gadget for casual users, it's an investment in the future of mixed reality that undercuts Apple.
• LG Electronics will reportedly handle production, using LG Display displays, LG Energy batteries, and other components from LG Innotek. Meta will tailor its VR ecosystem to work with the hardware.

Trendspotting: Samsung also announced an XR headset in collaboration with Google, suggesting a broader trend. Korean hardware giants are becoming the go-to partners for American tech companies' XR ambitions.

Key takeaway: Hardware and software partnerships could be key to a VR/XR ecosystem breakthrough, or at the very least, a way to accelerate competition in the emerging technology segment.

They could also prove to be more effective than Apple’s “whole-widget” approach to VR headset and ecosystem production.

The caveat: High prices remain a barrier to mass VR headset adoption. While a $2,000 price tag limits consumer appeal, it could find traction in enterprise markets—a sector both Meta and Apple aim to profit from.