The Oculus Quest 2 will get a memory upgrade at the end of August, including a silicone case.
Scott Stein / CNET
Facebook announced on Tuesday that sales of the Oculus Quest 2 would be temporarily suspended one month before a planned update to a new entry-level model with more onboard storage. The move comes after several reported cases of skin reactions to the headset’s foam front panel, the social media giant confirmed.
In a Facebook post about the issue earlier this year, the company says a small percentage of Quest 2 owners have reported the issue. But in some cases reported online the problem was so bad that people’s faces puffed up and their eyes closed. Facebook changed the manufacturing process for its foam surfaces earlier this year, but concerns still led Facebook to stop selling the Quest 2 in coordination with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.
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Facebook is adding silicone face mask covers that fit over the foam in future versions of the Quest 2. Existing customers can also contact Facebook for replacement coverage.
This happens a month before Facebook updates Quest 2 with more storage space: A new version of the Quest 299, which hits stores on August 24th, will have 128 GB instead of 64 GB. Quest 2 models will include the silicone face cover in the packaging from this point on. It’s an inopportune time to move, but it also looks like a chance for Facebook to replace the Quest 2 components with models with silicone cases.
“Consumers experiencing skin irritation or reaction should stop using the recalled foam facial interface immediately and all consumers should contact Facebook Technologies for a free silicone case,” said the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.
According to Facebook, “If you haven’t experienced any irritation, you don’t need to stop using it immediately, but you can still request a free silicone case. If you experience irritation you should stop using the foam facial interface immediately. “
What does that mean for you?
Order one of the silicone foam covers for Facebook’s Quest faceplate that Facebook is now offering. And stop using the Quest 2 if you have any safety concerns. The Quest 2 is not recommended for children under the age of 13, but be aware of the concerns when using VR.
That being said, none of my friends or family who use the Quest 2 have had any skin reaction issues. But I know one person who sent me a report about a friend who had a reaction. The silicone case is free, and you should probably use one in the future if you’ve never used VR before.
Is it an allergic reaction? (No, apparently)
According to an internal investigation involving dermatologists that began last December, the skin problem is viewed as more of a contact dermatitis than an allergic reaction. Facebook offered a statement from Dr. Robert Rietschel, co-author of the dermatological reference book “Fisher’s Contact Dermatitis”: “I have carefully checked the customer reports and data. In my opinion this is not an allergic reaction (i.e. not systemic or life threatening) and a certain percentage of the population reacts to everyday objects, including those worn on the body, by causing skin swelling. In fact, this is the same type of skin reaction that can be caused in some people by everyday household objects such as cinnamon flavorings and even foods like tomatoes. In the vast majority of cases, I did The reaction resolves on its own without medical attention or permanent effects. I believe the current state of reports and the severity of the reaction are about, if not less than, what can be expected. “
Is Facebook planning to do anything beyond the silicone case?
Nothing else has been announced, and it looks like this silicone sleeve (which covers the foam on the plastic liner) is the only blueprint. There are third-party faceplates that use different materials, but Facebook hasn’t announced any plans to make any new accessories yet.
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