Meta has just wrapped up its 2023 Connect keynote. As promised, the company had a lot more to share about its Meta Quest 3 headset. It also announced the latest pair of smart glasses it created in collaboration with Ray-Ban. In an astoundingly shocking turn of events, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg also had some AI updates to discuss. 

Meta Quest 3 release date

Meta first showed off the Quest 3 back in June to preempt Apple's announcement of the Vision Pro. However, we had to wait a few months to get all of the details about Meta's mixed reality headset (which we've already had some hands-on time with).

The Meta Quest 3 has full color passthrough and it's able to blend augmented reality elements into your physical surroundings. It's the first consumer device that runs on Qualcomm's Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip and Meta claims it delivers double the performance of the Quest 2. Expect higher resolution and a larger depth of field, but the refresh rate is staying the same at 90Hz.

The latest model should be more comfortable for those who wear glasses (hi) and there's a dial for adjusting inter-pupillary distance. Meta has revamped the Quest controllers by adding haptic feedback and ditching the tracking rings — it says new sensors can handle tracking instead. 

Along with a bunch of native VR games and experiences that are on the way, the Quest 3 will gain support for Xbox Cloud Gaming in December. You can use the headset to get some work done, if you're so inclined. Microsoft 365 apps will be available on Quest by the end of the year, and you'll soon be able to access Windows on the headsets.

Pre-orders for the Meta Quest 3 are open now. It starts at $500 for a version with 128GB of storage and you'll need to pony up $650 for a variant with double the storage. The 512GB model comes with a six-month trial of Meta Quest+ and, for a limited time, the company is bundling in Asgard's Wrath 2 with both versions. The headset will be available on October 10.

Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses

Meta had another hardware device to show off at Connect. It teamed up with Ray-Ban to whip up another set of smart glasses. 

The inventively titled Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses offer vastly improved specs compared with the Ray-Ban Stories. There's a 12MP wide-angle camera that can record 1080p video at 60fps. There's a 60-second time limit on video capture, but that works out quite nicely for Instagram Stories. The glasses have 32GB of storage as well.

There are five mics that can capture spatial audio. The speakers are louder and leak less noise. Meanwhile, there's a second frame design option and the charging case looks just like a regular Ray-Ban protective pouch. 

Pre-orders for the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses open today. They start at $299 and the device will ship on October 17.

AI updates

There's no escaping AI in 2023, so of course Meta had some updates on that front. The company is starting to offer a couple dozen AI chatbot personalities voiced by a who's who (literally, in some cases) of celebrities. Its new generative AI assistant, the on-brand Meta AI, will be available on platforms including WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram and the new hardware.

Meanwhile, generative AI image editing is on the way to Instagram. You'll be able to switch up the looks of images by, for instance, giving them the appearance of a watercolor painting. A generative AI-powered green screen feature similar to the one YouTube just unveiled is coming soon. In addition, AI-generated stickers are coming to Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger and Facebook Stories.

We learned at last year's Meta Connect that Quest headsets would gain official support for Xbox Cloud Gaming and now we have a clearer idea of when that will happen. During this year's event, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the game streaming service will be available on Meta Quest 3 sometime in December. 

Using your headset, you'll be able to stream games like Halo Infinite, Starfield and Forza Horizon 5 to a large, virtual 2D screen. You'll need an Game Pass Ultimate subscription to use Xbox Cloud Gaming, as well as a compatible controller. A disclaimer notes that the service will only be available on Quest in select regions. It's unclear if and when Xbox Cloud Gaming will be available on Quest 2 and Quest Pro.

Enthusiasts have already found ways to access Xbox Cloud Gaming on Quest headsets, but official support will make it easy for anyone to dive right in. By the time the service becomes available on Quest, Microsoft may have closed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, so you might kind of be able to play the likes of Call of Duty and Overwatch 2 in virtual reality in a few months.

It seems the lure of building the Warcraft universe is irresistible for some folks. Long-time Blizzard lore chief Chris Metzen has returned to the publisher on a full-time basis to help shape the future of the franchise.

Before he retired from Blizzard in 2016, Metzen worked on every Warcraft game, helping to build the story and lore. He eventually became Blizzard's senior vice president of story and franchise development and was involved in all of the studio's projects (he voices Bastion in Overwatch 2, for instance).

Metzen kept himself busy after leaving Blizzard. He opened a tabletop game company called Warchief in 2018. However, he returned to Blizzard in an advisory role last year and now he's fully back in the saddle as Warcraft's executive creative director. His main focus is on "supporting our World of Warcraft leadership in crafting the next generation of adventures," the Warcraft team wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

"It's been amazing working on Warcraft again," Metzen wrote. "Like coming home. The stories we're developing right now — how the world unfolds over the next few years... Well, I can’t wait for y’all to see where we’re headed. SOON..."

You won't have to wait too long to find out what Metzen and the Warcraft team have been working on. Blizzard is planning to reveal some details at BlizzCon, which starts on November 3. We might learn details about the next WoW expansion, which will follow 2022's Dragonflight. Updates on the Warcraft Rumble mobile game, which recently opened up for pre-orders on iOS, may be on deck too.

News of Metzen's return to Blizzard on a full-time basis emerged as the publisher carried out layoffs. It let go 10 people from the Hearthstone division, according to Kotaku reporter Ethan Gach. Activision Blizzard confirmed that it made some roles redundant following organizational changes to the Hearthstone development team.

Former Microsoft executive Panos Panay will be taking over as the head of Amazon’s Devices and Services (D&S) division, the company confirmed. He'll start his new role at the end of October, CEO Andy Jassy said.

"As a strong product builder and inventor who has deep experience in both hardware and integrated services, Panos will be a great addition to our D&S organization moving forward," Jassy wrote in a memo. "I remain quite excited about the invention happening and businesses that we’re building in D&S, and look forward to working with Panos."

It emerged last week that Panay was leaving Microsoft after a 19-year run, most recently as the chief product officer, where he oversaw Surface devices and Windows 11 development. Rumors quickly suggested that Panay would move to Amazon to lead the Alexa and Echo teams.

Panay will be taking over from outgoing D&S head Dave Limp, and the pair will work together for a couple of months to make the transition a smooth one. Limp also has a new job. He is leaving Amazon to become the CEO of Jeff Bezos' space company Blue Origin. 

Electronic Arts has pulled its FIFA games from digital storefronts such as Steam and console stores just as EA Sports FC 24 arrives. As noted by X (formerly Twitter) user MauroNL, none of EA’s FIFA titles are available for purchase on those storefronts anymore, including last year’s title, FIFA 23.

It’s still possible to play some of the games through EA Play, the publisher’s subscription service. You’ll still be able to find physical copies of the delisted games on consoles if you really want them and, if you’ve already purchased a FIFA game on a digital storefront, you’ll still be able to download it again.

But you’re out of luck if you hadn’t yet snapped up FIFA 23 or one of the earlier games on the likes of Steam. “At the request of the publisher, EA Sports FIFA 23 is unlisted on the Steam store and will not appear in search,” a notice on that game’s Steam page states.

It’s not yet clear exactly why EA has removed all these games from sale. Engadget has contacted the publisher for clarification. However, it seems likely that a licensing issue is at play.

Last year, EA and FIFA ended their long-running licensing partnership for the classic series of soccer sims. EA has rebranded the franchise as EA Sports FC. It will officially release the first entry on September 29, though the game has been in early access since last week.

The FIFA name will still appear on other games in the future, just (in all likelihood) not ones made by EA. "I can assure you that the only authentic, real game that has the FIFA name will be the best one available for gamers and football fans," FIFA president Gianni Infantino said last year, presumably with a straight face.

The Federal Communications Commission plans to reinstate net neutrality protections that were nixed in 2018 during the Trump administration. Restoring those Obama-era rules has been on President Joe Biden's agenda for years, but a deadlocked FCC has prevented that from happening during his time in the White House so far. Now, one day after Anna Gomez was sworn in as the third Democratic member on the FCC's five-person panel, the agency is pushing forward with an attempt to bring back net neutrality regulations.

When net neutrality rules are enforced, internet service providers are not allowed to block or give preference to any content. They can't throttle access to specific websites or charge the likes of streaming services for faster service. They must provide users with access to every site, content and app at the same speeds and conditions. Advocates tout net neutrality protections as the foundation of an open and equitable internet.

FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel, a long-term supporter of net neutrality rules, announced a plan to restore those protections on Tuesday. "This afternoon, I'm sharing with my colleagues a rulemaking that proposes to reinstate net neutrality," Rosenworcel said at an event at the National Press Club. "We will need to develop an updated record to identify the best way to restore these policies and have a uniform national open internet standard."

The aim is to "largely return to the successful rules" that the FCC adopted in 2015 when President Barack Obama was in office. The proposal aims to reclassify both fixed and mobile broadband as an essential service alongside water, power and phone services under Title II of the Communications Act.

Rosenworcel noted that this is a first step in the process of restoring net neutrality. It will likely take quite some time until net neutrality regulations are restored, as Bloomberg notes. The FCC commissioners will likely start with a vote on the issue ahead of a lengthy period of notice, during which time the agency will accept public comments. The commissioners would then take another vote on the rules. While the push to restore net neutrality rules may prove successful, the implementation could be delayed by legal challenges.

"For everyone, everywhere, to enjoy the full benefits of the internet age, internet access should be more than just accessible and affordable," Rosenworcel said. "The internet needs to be open." She added that repealing net neutrality protections "put the FCC on the wrong side of history, the wrong side of the law and the wrong side of the American public."

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

LinkedIn is making its platform more accessible by integrating Microsoft’s Immersive Reader. The service says that, in honor of Dyslexia Awareness Month and National Disability Employment Awareness Month, it's providing users with more ways to digest articles and newsletters. That seems particularly useful at a time when LinkedIn has been embracing longer-form content.

Every article and newsletter will feature the Immersive Reader icon, which provides access to several accessibility tools. A text-to-speech function can read articles out loud. LinkedIn says that "distinguishing between words that are spelled the same but pronounced differently makes it easier for auditory learners and those with visual impairments to consume and process content." The tool supports more than 60 languages. On a similar note, Immersive Reader powers real-time translation for more than 100 languages.

LinkedIn

Other features include one called Content Isolation. This separates the main text of an article or newsletter from everything else that's on the screen to help people focus on reading. Immersive Reader is able to isolate a line or two at a time as well. It also supports a feature called Syllable Splitting. According to LinkedIn, this breaks more complex words down into smaller components to help users understand and pronounce them.

Immersive Reader has been making its way into several Microsoft products and services over the last few years. It's been available in Office and Minecraft: Education Edition for some time. Bringing the tool to LinkedIn should make the platform easier to use for folks with dyslexia and other conditions.

AIAIAI, which is best known for its headphones, is moving into new territory with a set of wireless speakers. The Unit-4 Wireless+ studio monitors use the same low-latency tech as the Danish brand's headphones. AIAIAI suggests that they will enable folks "to create and mix music with accurate sound representation and powerful performance" wherever they might happen to be.

That suggests the speakers will be useful for those who like to make music while they're on the road, but would rather have studio monitors than headphones despite the extra bulk. (Even though they weigh a relatively paltry 2.5kg, the speakers will be more cumbersome than carrying around a set of cans.). The speakers may also be useful for garden DJ sets or any other environment in which latency is key and wired options are impractical. They will run you $800 for a pair.

These monitors employ W+ Link wireless technology, which requires the use of an X02 transmitter (you can also use Bluetooth 5.2 or a cable to connect them to an audio source). AIAIAI says they have 16ms of latency via W+ Link and deliver uncompressed audio. The system employs dual antennas and higher bandwidth than Bluetooth can handle in an effort to maintain a robust connection. The batteries will run for up to 20 hours on a single charge, the brand claims, and it will take two hours to fully recharge them.

AIAIAI

AIAIAI says these speakers offer reference monitor sound. You'll be snapping up a two-way active monitor that features a four-inch high-excursion woofer and one-inch silk-dome tweeter. Thanks to a bass vent (which can also be used as a carrying handle) and tuned boosting EQ, the monitors will deliver "a clean bass extension down to 40Hz," AIAIAI claims. Since they employ a stage monitor design, you can angle the speakers horizontally to optimize the audio for your surroundings.

Using the AIAIAI Unit-4 app, you'll be able to further align the sound field with the environment you're working in. There's a customizable five-band EQ and five presets. You can use the app to adjust the brightness of the LED ring too.

Meanwhile, AIAIAI has designed the Unit-4 speakers with sustainability in mind. The main plastic components are made with 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic. The monitors have a glue-free design, so it should be easy to replace components such as the battery or speaker drivers when necessary. You'll be able to upgrade parts as well. On top of that, the Unit-4 is designed to be completely recyclable.

Huawei is moving deeper into the electric vehicle business with the help of Chery Autos and now we know when the first production model from their joint venture will arrive. Luxeed is slated to debut its coupe-style S7 in China in late November, according to the South China Morning Post.

Luxeed's blend of Huawei's tech and Chery’s manufacturing know-how could help the S7 to make a splash in an increasingly crowded EV market. There's clearly some confidence in the car too. “It will be superior to Tesla’s Model S in various aspects,” Richard Yu Chengdong, head of Huawei’s car unit, said at an event.

The EV's range, price and tech features weren't disclosed at the event, the South China Morning Post noted. However, it emerged in August that the S7 will be based on state-owned Chery’s E0X platform, which is designed for two-motor, all-wheel-drive EVs.

This isn't exactly Huawei's first foray into EVs. The company collaborated with automaker Seres to create the Aito brand (which Huawei now fully owns) in 2021. Aito's first all-electric model, the M5, arrived last year. Aito will start deliveries of its M9, a luxury electric SUV, in China in December. Huawei has also been supplying other automakers with its Huawei HI intelligent automotive solution that includes a 4D imaging radar and an autonomous driving platform.

Don't expect to see Luxeed's S7 make its way over to the US anytime soon, if ever, though. Huawei is still subject to sanctions in the country.

Amazon is paywalling more formerly free features on its smart home devices. Several months after it moved some basic Ring alarm system features behind a subscription plan, Amazon is doing something similar for several Alexa Guard functions.

Alexa Guard is a free security feature that came as standard on Echo devices. It listens out for things like alarms and intruders when you aren't at home. However, the company is shutting down Alexa Guard, as The Verge reports.

Some Alexa Guard features will remain available to everyone at no extra cost as part of the core Alexa experience. These include the Home and Away modes (for arming and disarming a Ring Alarm system) and Away Lighting, which turns on smart lights to make it seem like you're en casa.

However, you'll need to pay for the new Emergency Assist service to keep using several features. Amazon is paywalling Alexa Guard's smoke and CO alarm detection functions. You'll also soon have to pony up for a subscription if you want Alexa to keep an ear out for the sound of breaking glass, signifying a possible intruder.

There's at least some good news for Ring Protect Pro members who linked their Ring and Alexa accounts as of September 20. Those folks will get an Alexa Emergency Assist membership at no extra cost until October 31 next year. Guard Plus, which added some extra features to Alexa Guard for a monthly or annual fee, is no longer available for purchase. It was included with a Ring Protect Pro plan.

Alexa Emergency Assist currently costs $6 per month or $59 per year. However, that's listed as an introductory price that will only remain valid for everyone until January 8. After that time, non-Prime subscribers will have to pay extra for Emergency Assist. Much like Guard Plus, Alexa Emergency Assist enables users to call emergency services via the voice assistant on an Echo device.