{"id":161099,"date":"2025-06-05T20:16:09","date_gmt":"2025-06-05T20:16:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/161099\/"},"modified":"2025-06-05T20:16:09","modified_gmt":"2025-06-05T20:16:09","slug":"meta-tests-3d-instagram-photos-virtual-desktop-for-headsets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/161099\/","title":{"rendered":"Meta Tests 3D Instagram Photos, Virtual Desktop for Headsets"},"content":{"rendered":"

Meta<\/a> is stepping up its spatial computing ambitions, even as interest in Apple<\/a>\u2019s Vision Pro<\/a> continues to be lackluster.<\/p>\n

Meta is testing artificial intelligence-generated 3D photos on Instagram<\/a> within the Meta Quest<\/a> augmented reality\/virtual reality headset, according to a May 22 company blog post<\/a>. It\u2019s a step in the company\u2019s long-term effort to make immersive computing mainstream.<\/p>\n

\u201cReality Labs<\/a> is teaming up with Instagram to make the moments you share a little more magical,\u201d the post said. The feature uses \u201cAI view synthesis algorithms\u201d to transform ordinary 2D photos \u201cpixel by pixel \u2014 no fancy 3D cameras required.\u201d<\/p>\n

Standard Instagram images can now be viewed with more depth inside a Quest headset.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat means flat photos that weren\u2019t originally captured in 3D will automatically be converted into an immersive format that gives 2D images a sense of depth when you view them on Quest,\u201d the post said.<\/p>\n

The update points to Meta\u2019s broader vision of bringing everyday social media experiences into virtual environments powered by the company\u2019s Horizon<\/a> operating system.<\/p>\n

Lindsey Gamble<\/a>, a marketing consultant, said in his own blog post<\/a> May 23 that this is part of Meta\u2019s early steps toward bringing more social and entertainment experiences into a spatial, 3D environment on Quest.<\/p>\n

\u201cConverting 2D photos into 3D makes Instagram content more immersive and better suited to the spatial capabilities of Meta\u2019s headset, all without creators needing to shoot their content in 3D,\u201d Gamble wrote in the post. \u201cThis more engaging format could encourage consumption of Instagram on their headsets.\u201d<\/p>\n

The move comes as Apple\u2019s Vision Pro \u2014 heralded at launch as a revolution in spatial computing<\/a> \u2014 has reportedly faced slower-than-expected demand. News reports have indicated that Apple has scaled back production forecasts for the mixed-reality headset<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Meta Targets Existing Base<\/strong><\/p>\n

In contrast, Meta is targeting its existing user base and using AI to reimagine everyday content in spatial form, rather than betting on high-end use cases.<\/p>\n

The Instagram 3D photo test is part of a wider software update to Quest\u2019s operating system, Horizon OS, which also includes the rollout of a new virtual desktop called Navigator, per the company\u2019s blog post.<\/p>\n

Navigator is \u201ca new home for your games and apps, friends, notifications, essential system settings, and more on Quest,\u201d according to the post. The interface is designed to function like a PC, allowing users to multitask and pin up to 10 items for quick access.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe designed Navigator based on everything we\u2019ve learned over the last decade,\u201d the post said. \u201cAnd this is just the beginning of a broader evolution of Horizon OS.\u201d<\/p>\n

The updates come as Meta continues to position itself at the intersection of social media and spatial computing.<\/p>\n

However, the company\u2019s metaverse ambitions continue to bleed red ink. Meta\u2019s Reality Labs division, which oversees Quest and smart glasses, had an operating loss<\/a> of $17.7 billion in 2024.<\/p>\n

Meta is not letting up. CEO Mark Zuckerberg told<\/a> The Verge that advances in AI and mixed reality will make headsets more useful in everyday life.<\/p>\n

Plus, the company\u2019s Llama 4<\/a> large multimodal model is part of a broader strategy to unify its social, AI and immersive computing efforts.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got much more planned for the future of spatial computing, so stay tuned,\u201d the company blog post said.<\/p>\n

For all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily AI Newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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