Fb pulls Oculus Quest 2 from shops over issues VR headset causes ‘chemical irritation’ of eyes and face

By On Aug 5, 2021

FACEBOOK has ripped the latest Oculus virtual reality headset out of its stores amid mounting complaints of rashes.

Users report that the foam padding on the Oculus Quest 2, which hit shelves last year for £ 299, causes irritation around the eyes and face.

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The foam face padding on the £ 299 Oculus Quest 2 is said to be itchy in some wearers

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Users shared photos of rashes after wearing the gadgetPhoto credit: Facebook / donallen

In a blog post on Tuesday, Facebook said it was recalling the removable liner after complaints from a “very small percentage” of customers.

“Although the reporting rate is low and the majority of reported cases are low, we are committed to ensuring that our products are safe and comfortable for everyone who uses them,” the company said.

Facebook added that the recall is being made “in collaboration with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).”

As part of the recall, Facebook said it would provide Oculus Quest 2 owners with new silicone padding that fits over the current headset.

Quest 2 was pulled from online and physical stores around the world by Aug 23.

When it returns, all headsets will come with a silicone case that is included, Facebook said.

Oculus also offers 128 GB of storage in the Quest 2 entry-level model – twice as much as previously available.

Concerns about the effects of Quest 2 on users’ skin have been around for months.

In May, the headsets were pulled from Amazon stores across Europe following an EU investigation into the upholstery.

The EU Commission’s report came to the conclusion that the foam component “contains substances that are irritating to the skin and eyes”.

Although it took seven months to get the headset out of stores, Facebook took customer complaints “very seriously”.

“In early December, we immediately conducted a thorough investigation, including advice from leading dermatologists and toxicologists,” the company wrote on its blog post.

“These experts have indicated that some parts of the population can experience skin irritation from many household items – even things like tomatoes or shampoo – and that the rates we observed are as expected.”

Facebook is betting heavily on virtual reality (VR) and bought VR gaming company Oculus for a reported $ 2 billion (£ 1.5 billion) in 2014.

Since then, it has released a handful of VR headsets through Oculus. The wearable equipment simulates an immersive, virtual world around you.

You can already chat with friends or play games using Oculus, but Facebook plans to someday simulate entire worlds for users to play around in.

The Quest 2 is the company’s newest model and hit shelves worldwide last October.

Oculus competes against the likes of HTC, which is behind the Vive VR headsets, and PlayStation, which is expected to launch a new PSVR set next year.

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Facebook pulled the latest Oculus virtual reality headset out of its storesCredit: Amazon

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Facebook bought VR gaming company Oculus in 2014 for a reported $ 2 billion (£ 1.5 billion).Image credit: eye

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Facebook’s Oculus Quest 2 is an inexpensive wireless virtual reality headset with hand tracking

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