Meta has announced that it will run tests on the latest Horizon OS release (V77) of Quest overhauling the platform’s dock-based UI for the new launcher overlay. Additionally, according to Meta, some users will also see 3D Instagram photos in their Quest-On Feed, which is neat.
First teased at Connect 2024, Meta finally leads Navigator to Quest. It serves as a new centralized hub for apps, quick actions and system features.
“As part of the work to develop a fully spatial operating system designed around people, Navigator provides convenient access to recently used applications, allowing you to pin up to 10 items to your library to resume seamless tasks.
Essentially, Navigator provides easy access to system-level controls and quickly returns to what’s inside the headset. More specifically, the new UI should be very familiar to smartphone users, thanks to its more traditional layout.
YouTuber “Construct” shows off a navigator that includes tutorial videos and practical impressions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jlxiq6dbb0
“We designed the navigator based on everything we learned over the past decade. It’s inconspicuous, intuitive, and built from the ground up for the unique needs of spatial computing,” Meta says.
The company says Navigator will begin rolling out as a limited testing of the Public Test Channel (PTC) V77 for some people.
Plus, as Meta says he is currently testing 3D photos on the platform, Instagram is also gaining a bit of love in the quest. For some users of the PTC V77, Meta’s AI automatically converts existing 2D photos that are not originally captured in 3D into an immersive format.
“And we’re looking early on to bring more social and entertainment experiences to a more immersive 3D future that’s 2D today,” Mehta says.
Notes: To register for Quest’s Public Test Channel (PTC), you must use the Meta Horizon app on your mobile phone and go to the “Device” section. Select the quest headset, go to Headset Settings, then to Advanced Settings. Finally, switch the “Public Test Channel.”
