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Meta Ditches VR Workrooms: AR Glasses Loom
16 Jan
Summary
- Meta is shutting down Horizon Workrooms on February 16, 2026.
- The company is shifting focus from VR to Augmented Reality (AR) glasses.
- Fatigue and limited view plagued VR work environments, making AR the next step.
Meta is discontinuing its virtual reality platform, Horizon Workrooms, effective February 16, 2026. Initially launched in 2021 to support remote work, Workrooms offered users an immersive, avatar-based meeting experience. However, the platform faced significant challenges, including user discomfort from prolonged headset wear, eye strain, and a restricted field of view that hindered multitasking.
These limitations, coupled with Meta's strategic shift and recent layoffs in its Reality Labs division, indicate a clear move away from virtual reality. The company is now prioritizing augmented reality and artificial intelligence, with devices like the Meta Ray-Ban Display hinting at a future where work interactions occur through AR glasses.
While Meta suggests alternatives like Remote Desktop and Microsoft Teams Immersive, the underlying issues of screen proximity and potential fatigue persist. The focus on AR signals a continued exploration of how technology can reshape our work lives, even as the dream of full VR immersion for daily tasks appears to be fading.
