• Instagram in VR offers a fun and unique experience that comes bundled with the headset.

• AR navigation on Meta Quest 3S can help limit screen time due to a higher barrier to entry.

• Instagram is seamlessly integrated into 3S, but VR features won’t completely replace regular methods.

The Meta Quest 3S is a sturdy piece of hardware and a great gateway to VR, but one of its most underrated features comes with the headset out of the box. Although the 3S is best known for its video games, it also lets you browse social media, including Instagram, which is surprisingly fun and useful.

Social media in VR is a weird new thing

Before I decided to get started with social media in virtual reality, I didn’t really understand the point of it. I saw it more as a novelty rather than a viable alternative to traditional scrolling. However, now that I’ve played with it a bit, I’ve started to see more of its appeal as I start to have fun watching my favorite influencers and the usual feeds on my headset.

Seeing high-quality videos, images, and other content presented in real time using the Quest 3S’s augmented reality features is a surprisingly fun new feature, because it lets you view them on a virtual screen as if they existed in the real world. This is not only fun in its own right as a unique alternative to phone browsing, but it also comes with its own set of benefits.

Augmented reality can help limit screen time

One surprising benefit of using AR to browse Instagram is that the barrier to getting into the app is already a little less convenient, so I’m less likely to turn to it when I’m bored. Not to mention, given the limited battery life and bulky nature of the Quest 3S, I’m less likely to spend a lot of time on the app like I otherwise would, even when I’m using it.

Instead of scrolling through it on my phone, which tends to eat up a lot of my free time, using it in VR not only prevents me from staying there as long, but can make the experience more fruitful. I’ll be much more likely to seek out more immersive and interesting content rather than just scrolling through Reels as usual, which make sure I’m at least engaging in something worthwhile.

Instagram is also where the Quest 3S’s augmented reality feature really shines because it keeps the real world in view while you’re viewing it, which can help you stay aware of your surroundings. This means you won’t sacrifice your spatial awareness to gain the benefits of VR navigation, and you won’t become completely absorbed in the distraction point of the real world.

Seamless integration makes VR a viable alternative

Since both platforms are owned and operated by Meta, Instagram is automatically integrated into the Quest 3S, so it comes pre-installed and can be easily opened with other apps. It’s also easy to switch between games, chats with friends, and Instagram, mimicking the ease of use that would come with using the app on your phone.

The virtual keyboard that appears on screen when using chat or social media apps in VR is also surprisingly sturdy, but not without its flaws since it’s clearly not as practical as a phone keyboard or PC. Still, it’s easy enough to type using the Quest 3S’s motion controllers by simply pressing the appropriate keys on the virtual screen in front of you and it can be a surprisingly fun gadget.

You can even post messages from the headset using images and files saved on the device, allowing you to share gaming clips, screenshots, or other media with your friends and followers without resorting to to external file transfer methods.

Discover unique content

Given Meta’s and Instagram’s simultaneous push for VR, the two have aligned in many ways, as the app offers a wide range of content using virtual and augmented reality. Although all types of Instagram content are fully viewable in VR, some elements make special use of it, such as 360° images and videos that create immersive environments to “explore” and even interactive content.

Some filters have AR functionality which may also appear different with the 3S, making them much more realistic in some cases and using the headset’s camera and motion tracking better than any cell phone. This opens the door to new experiences that can help this version of the app stand out a little more, helping to justify its inclusion as part of the suite of features integrated into the headset.

Instagram in VR is fun, but it won’t replace the original

Virtual or augmented reality social media is fun and an interesting new thing, but I don’t think it’s really at the point where it can replace the traditional experience. The user interface is quite intuitive and the exclusive content is nice. Otherwise, the experience is largely the same as the mobile app, but also has its own set of drawbacks that prevent it from being a complete replacement.

Liking posts, for example, isn’t as convenient as usual since the double-click feature doesn’t work in VR, so you have to go out of your way to tap the heart icon to do it instead. Interacting with posts, in general, is also a bit more tedious, as the virtual keyboard, while fun to use, is not the best tool for writing something interesting or interacting with other users in time. timely.

While Instagram is automatically integrated by default with the Meta Quest 3S, other social networks, even those managed by Meta like Facebook and its companion Messenger, aren’t as convenient. Messenger, more precisely, requires Google Play Services to function properlywhich doesn’t come stock with the headset, meaning you’ll have to set it up yourself.

Yet where the Meta Quest 3S’s AR functionality really shines is with the Instagram feed, which is easily navigable with its stock motion controllers and can make use of some unique features. The special content and novelty of the gadget may not be enough to completely replace scrolling on your phone, but it can scratch the same itch and create a particularly fun social media experience.