Meta Trials Quest UI Revamp and 3D Instagram Photos in New Horizon OS Update

Hey, so let me just ramble a bit about something interesting. And by interesting, I mean this new thing Meta’s going crazy about. It’s like they’re shaking things up with their whole Quest platform. Um, okay, so get this — there’s this test run thing on Quest’s latest Horizon OS (v77, if you’re keeping track) that’s totally flipping the script on their old dock-style setup. Now there’s this launcher overlay, whatever that means. I’m not sure why it’s exciting, but they say some folks will start seeing 3D Instagram photos in their feed. Maybe it’s cool? Or maybe I’m just easily impressed. Who knows.

So at this Connect 2024 thing — honestly, wasn’t paying much attention at first — they teased this Navigator thing. And, well, now it’s landing on Quest. Essentially, it’s like a one-stop-shop for apps and stuff you need to get to quickly. Kind of neat, I guess.

Meta, in their fancy update notes, talks about Navigator like it’s gonna change your life. Apparently, it’s about making multitasking in your headset less of a hassle. Funny how they’re trying to sound all revolutionary when it’s basically just letting you pin stuff. Ten items max, if you’re wondering. And yeah, it’s all about hopping back into whatever you were up to without a hitch. Sounds handy-ish.

Someone named The Construct on YouTube did this run-through — it’s always these YouTubers who get the first scoop, right? Anyway, he shows off this Navigator thing, and Meta’s all like, “We’ve been learning for, like, a decade, and now it’s perfect.” Sure, guys, sure.

Oh, they’re not rolling this out to everybody just yet. It’s gonna be a slow drip for users on this Public Test Channel — basically early access guinea pigs. I kinda envy those folks; they get to toy around with the new stuff first, even if it’s buggy.

And then there’s this side note — Instagram’s getting this 3D makeover on Quest, for some users at least. Imagine scrolling your feed and your pics go all pop-out on you, thanks to Meta’s AI tinkering away. They’re hinting this is just the start of turning our flat 2D world into some 3D fantasia. Not sure if that’s a dream or a nightmare.

Oh yeah, if you’re itching to join the quest (ha, see what I did there?), you gotta dive into the Meta Horizon app on your phone, poke around in the ‘Devices’ bit, fiddle with settings, and flip some switch for the Public Test Channel. Sorta sounds like one of those treasure hunts, minus the treasure. Anyway, that’s all I’ve got.