Meta is Testing a Quest Interface Redesign and 3D Instagram Photos in New Horizon OS Update

Whoa, okay, so here’s the deal. Meta’s got this new thing going with their Quest gear. They’re testing something in the latest Horizon OS—v77, I think?—that throws out the old dock-based UI for something snazzier. Oh, and some folks are about to see these wild 3D Instagram pics in their feed too. That’s kinda cool but, like, not sure if it’s groundbreaking or anything.

Anyway, so, at this big Connect shindig in 2024, they teased this thing called Navigator. It’s supposed to be, you know, this one-stop hub for all your apps and stuff. Quick actions are a thing now, I guess. Meta’s going on about it like it’s a big deal. They say it’s all about making life easier when you’re in the headset. Makes sense, right? Like, pinning your top 10 apps so you can grab them fast. Seems like something we’ve seen before, doesn’t it?

Okay, so they have this YouTuber, ‘The Construct,’ doing a run-through, showing how Navigator works and all. I didn’t catch the entire video but it looked pretty sleek, gotta admit. Meta’s acting like they’ve cracked the code on user-friendly design. They say it’s based on a decade of figuring out what people want. Maybe they have, maybe they haven’t. Hard to say.

The rollout’s slow, typical, via this Public Test Channel, or PTC as the hip folks call it. Only some peeps get to see it early, which is always a bummer for the rest of us. But, hey, patience is a thing.

Oh, and about Instagram—there’s this nifty new feature they’re testing. They’re taking those regular 2D photos and making them pop in 3D. Meta’s all about an immersive future, they say. Not entirely sure why I need that in 3D but, who knows, maybe it’ll be the next big trend.

And just in case you’re itching to try this stuff, there’s this way to get on the PTC. You dive into the Meta Horizon app, poke around a bit, and find this setting to join the test channel. Sounds like a mini-adventure, if you’re up for it.

Anyway, ramble over. Guess we’ll see how this all shakes out, huh?