Quest 2 V57 public beta update brings many features

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Major updates to the Meta Quest 2 headset invariably usher in delightful novelties, such as the sliding keyboard of V56 and the direct touch feature of V50. Citing MIXED sources, some users part of the beta channel have received notifications of the V57 update, and to their astonishment, their virtual avatars within the VR realm have now manifested legs. This feature was first announced at the Meta Connect Conference in 2022, but only now has it been launched in a beta version.

Hitherto, due to the sensor limitations of Quest 2, the headset couldn’t track leg movements. Thus, in Meta’s Horizon main control room and worlds, users’ avatars were depicted merely as torsos, rendering a rather peculiar visual.

So, how has Meta managed to endow these virtual avatars with legs without altering the hardware?

The answer lies in AI. Employing body data captured by sensors combined with an AI model, the machine can roughly emulate a user’s posture. However, this is merely a passable approximation — some users have reported bugs in the virtual avatar’s depiction during squatting stances.

Due to such potential discrepancies, users can only observe the legs of others or see their own legs when reflected in a mirror, rather than perceiving them in a first-person view. In this context, Meta’s CTO, Andrew Bosworth, opined last year that users might find it disconcerting if the virtual legs don’t align perfectly with their actual legs.

Beyond the addition of legs to the virtual avatars, the V57 update also introduces an enhanced battery-saving mode, which seeks to extend usage time by compromising on visual quality. Additionally, there’s an “Airplane Travel Mode” (distinct from the traditional “Airplane Mode”), which deactivates certain motion sensors, enabling users to employ Quest 2 on transportation mediums like planes. After all, the rapid cruising speed of an aircraft can interfere with the Quest 2’s motion sensors.

The precise rollout date for the official V57 version remains nebulous. Those intrigued by these new features can enlist in the beta channel via the Quest App for an early taste.

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