A hidden feature was just discovered in the Meta Quest Pro and it could bring big changes in how you use your VR headset. We already know the Quest Pro’s Touch Controllers are very advanced, possibly the best in the industry. The latest news is that they seem to have a built-in trackpad.
This will interest Quest 2 owners as well because the Touch Controllers will be compatible with Meta’s budget headset after a software update. They’re bundled with the Quest Pro and a pair sells separately for $300 to expand the tracking speed and accuracy of the Quest 2.
A tweet with a video from Shiny Quagshire revealed this new capability which has not been implemented or mentioned by Meta. A trackpad seems to be present in the thumbrest area. A recent iFixit teardown showed that the thumbrest works as a pressure-sensitive button but didn’t mention a trackpad sensor so it’s unclear how it works.
apparently the Quest Pro controllers have a touchpad, but I can't find literally any documentation on it for some reason aside from "oh, the thumb rest is pressure sensitive" pic.twitter.com/eZzWa7cMxX
— Shiny Quagsire (@ShinyQuagsire) November 8, 2022
As a work-centric VR headset, precise pointer control is important and it seems likely that Meta will enable this feature with a future software update. Currently, a Bluetooth mouse must be paired for the most accurate and effortless pointer control. We reached out to Meta to find out more about the Touch Controller’s thumbrest trackpad and will update you when we know more.
In related news, Meta has developed a Remote Display app that’s in beta testing and doesn’t appear in a search of the Quest App Store. This app places a virtual Mac or PC on your Quest Pro home screen.
A tweet from VR analyst Brad Lynch shows that the Remote Display app can be used from within other VR apps. It’s still in beta and has a bit of lag under the burden of a high-resolution physical monitor connected to your PC while simultaneously recording the screen.
On Quest Pro, you can still bring up the Remote Desktop 2D app inside Quest Standalone apps (VRChat Standalone being shown)
However it comes with more limited functionality and it will timeout your connection once you leave the home menu https://t.co/2J6wGW5i6w pic.twitter.com/FvpudiCTRZ
— Brad Lynch (@SadlyItsBradley) November 8, 2022
The Quest Pro is already one of the most versatile and unique VR headsets available and more features and apps are coming soon.