The VR platform of the future must enable people to multitask easily, navigate between apps seamlessly, stay connected with others, and quite simply do more. From gaming to media and entertainment, from social experiences to getting work done, VR as the next computing platform will support the full spectrum of uses that people expect from their devices, like phones and laptops, today. As a step toward that future, we’re unveiling a major update to the Oculus Quest system experience that makes VR more flexible, social, and easy to use than ever before. It comes with a completely redesigned universal menu, new immersive overlays, and multi-window support for 2D apps starting with Oculus Browser—and these updates are launching as Experimental Features later this month.

The redesigned universal menu is a personal dashboard that lets you navigate between immersive environments and 2D apps, control your device, and stay connected with people and with your system’s status while in VR. Our new design organizes information more clearly to help you navigate to commonly-used system apps like Explore, Store, Browser, and TV more quickly, as well as access key settings like brightness and volume. It also brings your recently and frequently used apps front and center so it’s easy to jump back into the action.

New immersive overlays make it possible to bring up content, like the universal menu, without leaving the app you’re in. That means it’s easier than ever to find and control system functions without missing a beat -- no need to return to Home. Plus, tools for sharing and connecting are right at your fingertips while you explore VR, with seamless access to functions like making a friend request, casting, or livestreaming (some features and functionality require a Facebook log-in). This will be available in WebXR apps launched from Oculus Browser to start, and will come to more apps on the Oculus Platform as developers add support, so over time you’ll have instant access to your menu anytime and anywhere in VR.

Oculus Browser now supports multiple windows, so you can multitask to get more done and stay connected. Watch a video to crib gameplay tips in one window, check out your friends’ latest Facebook updates in another, and catch up on the day’s news in a third. You can open, close, and rearrange windows from a new control box above the window. Support for multiple windows will first come to Oculus Browser, with support for more 2D apps like Chats and Store coming later.

Together, these updates continue to evolve the Quest experience and represent a step toward VR becoming the next computing platform. It all starts rolling out this month, and you’ll be able to opt in by going to the Experimental Features section in Settings and toggling the new features on. Be sure to let us know your thoughts on the Oculus UserVoice channel.