Meta Quest users have expressed anger at the decision to remove the option to cast to Chromecast, criticizing the removal and poor communication from Meta.
Using a VR headset is usually seen as something of an isolated experience. However, it does not have to be, by using options to cast to a phone or TV, users can share their experiences with friends or family. However, this option appears to have been severely curtailed, as Meta has decided to remove the option to share from Meta Quest headsets to Chromecast.
Just before Christmas, some Meta Quest users were puzzled to discover that the option to cast to a Chromecast device seemed to have vanished. Some took to Twitter/X to question Meta on this, asking if it was a bug or a deliberate removal since there had been no official announcement.
The Vice President of VR at Meta, Mark Rabkin confirmed via a Twitter reply that the functionality to cast to Chromecast had indeed been removed. Rabkin cited poor reliability and lack of official support from Google as the reasons behind the decision.
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Angry Quest users take to Reddit
Users of the Meta Quest series of headsets were not happy. Many took to the Oculus Quest subreddit to express their anger and disappointment. User HoldMyVR said: “Personally I’m livid about Meta removing Chromecast as it always worked flawlessly for me. I wasn’t able to demo my Quest 3 over Christmas when the relatives were over because there wasn’t a Chromecast option (I guess I’m one of the lucky ones they chose) and casting to my phone just refused to work.”
We really want it to work with 💯 reliability — but it was not officially supported by Google (we’re working on that too!). In meanwhile improving our infra and narrowing to the options where we can guarantee stability. Investing a lot here.
— Mark Rabkin (@mrabkin) December 29, 2023
Other users echoed the sentiment that the choice of timing was terrible since it prevented Meta Quest users from sharing their VR experiences at family gatherings. User TheReiterEffect_S8 noted that the official recommendation is to use an Android phone as a middle-man to cast to a TV, but this causes significant lag compared to casting directly to a Chromecast device.
Other users were displeased at the lack of official communication, stating that a Twitter reply is not a suitable way to tell your customers of such a significant change. As of writing, there has still been no official announcement from Meta other than the Twitter reply.