Meta announced a new feature for the Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest 3 that will allow users to use the mixed-reality headset during flights in passthrough mode. On Monday, the tech giant said it is rolling out Travel Mode as an experimental feature on these two devices. This new mode will adjust the apps opened in the augmented reality (AR) view so that the windows do not drift away. Notably, the Apple Vision Pro is also equipped with a Travel Mode feature since its launch and offers the same functionality.
Making the announcement in a blog post, Meta said, “Travel Mode turns Quest into the ultimate in-flight entertainment device, so you can watch movies on a massive virtual screen, kick back with a game or meditation app, and even get some work done in private.” However, it should be noted that the Travel Mode currently only supports in-flight usage and is not adjusted for travel in other modes of transport such as trains, cars, and buses. The social media giant said that it is working on these modes and support for them will arrive soon.
Turning the feature on is easy, but has a two-step procedure. Users will first have to go to Settings > Experimental features and opt-in for these features. Once done, they can find Travel Mode in the Quick Settings panel within the universal menu. One thing to note here, in case an app or a game requires internet connectivity, users will require an in-flight Wi-Fi connection to open them.
Meta says it has tuned the algorithms to account for the motion of an aeroplane that will allow users to find a consistent experience in Travel Mode even if they are looking out of the plane’s window. While the Apple Vision Pro also has its own Travel Mode, the company refrains users from looking at the window while using the headset.
Finally, once the feature has been opted-in, Travel Mode can also automatically detect when a user is sitting on a flight and suggest users to turn the feature on. Interestingly, the Meta Quest headsets worked in flights even earlier, however, they could only be used in the virtual reality (VR) mode.
Apart from this, Meta also announced a new partnership with Lufthansa. With this partnership, Meta will provide its mixed-reality headsets for business class suite passengers on select flights, and will curate content for them across “entertainment, travel, wellness, games, and more”.