Meta is asking Apple to let Quest be an AirPlay receiver.
Meta's VP of VR Mark Rabkin announced the request in a post on X, saying he "would absolutely love" this to happen.
I would absolutely love to do that -- we're asking Apple for the permission for Quest to be an AirPlay receiver. 🤞
— Mark Rabkin (@mrabkin) February 16, 2024
If the request is approved by Apple, iPhone and iPad users would be able to cast media to Quest, or even the entire screen, as if it were a TV with AirPlay support.
This could make up for Quest's lack of native media streaming apps compared to Apple Vision Pro. There is a YouTube app, Netflix app, Peacock app, and Amazon Prime Video on Quest. However:
- The Netflix app hasn't been updated for years. It only streams at 480p, requires controllers, and doesn't support downloads or passthrough.
- The Peacock app is essentially just a shortcut to the website, so doesn't support downloads.
- The Amazon Prime Video app is so abandoned that it no longer even connects.
By supporting AirPlay, Meta could piggyback off the user's iPhone already having high-quality versions of these apps and this would likely increase retention on Quest. Of course, Apple may deny the request given it has a competing headset and has had historically sour relations with Meta, or on technical grounds unrelated to those reasons.
