Meta is set to unveil Project Phoenix at Connect this week, with the anticipated mixed-reality headset expected to bring a lighter design and a new approach to how the company distributes computing and battery hardware.
The device is expected to shift some of that hardware into a separate unit carried by the user, rather than placing it all inside the headset. For Chad Gerber, founder and creator of Meloscene, an XR collaboration platform built for Meta Quest, reducing the physical burden of a headset could be more important than another performance upgrade.
Gerber told UC Today that users will tolerate the limitations of current hardware to access valuable immersive experiences, but comfort becomes a significant issue when sessions move beyond short bursts of gaming or entertainment.
“Honestly, the biggest difference, more so than processing and everything else, is the weight,” Gerber said. “The current headsets give headaches. People endure and tolerate it just for the sake of being able to be together and collaborate.”
Comfort Could Be Phoenix’s Defining Feature
The XR industry has made significant strides in recent years, including better passthrough, higher-resolution displays, improved sensors and more capable onboard processors. Yet the basic challenge of wearing a substantial amount of hardware on the face remains.
That is especially relevant for platforms designed for work and collaboration. Meloscene was originally created for musicians, studio work, composers and directors, but Gerber said its use cases have broadened to include design, sketching and other collaborative tasks.
Its sessions can last from around 20 minutes to an hour, making the comfort of the headset an operational concern rather than a minor inconvenience.
“You have the lines on your head and stuff,” Gerber said. “Once they come out with the Phoenix, it’s going to be a game changer on just so many levels, especially for how we use it.”
For Gerber, lighter hardware is essential if XR is to become a regular part of people’s professional lives. The technology cannot remain something users put up with occasionally in exchange for novelty or entertainment value.
A Pocket-Carried Device Is a Trade-Off
Project Phoenix is expected to move the battery and processing hardware into a separate device that can be carried by the user. While that may reduce the headset’s weight, it could introduce a cable and another piece of equipment to charge, transport and manage.
Gerber believes the compromise will be worthwhile for many professional users.
“If it has to go in your pocket and you have some arrangement of cords, we’re more than okay with it if it means we don’t have a toaster on our head anymore,” he said.
In a studio environment, users already work around cables, instruments and other equipment. Gerber said Meloscene users would likely place the separate device in a back pocket and route the cable down their shirt.
That may be less attractive to more casual users, however. A separate compute unit could make the device feel less seamless than a standalone Quest headset, particularly for people using it at home or on the move.
