Katarzyna Petru
The Disney+ app is finally coming to Meta Quest goggles, which somewhat improves the very limited selection of video apps on Horizon OS. However, key limitations remain – and they are hard to ignore.
Apple and Google have opened a new front in the platform war, deliberately withholding their VR and AR apps from competing systems. In this battle, Meta has found itself sidelined, mainly due to its minor significance in the media ecosystem. Apple, on the other hand, has clearly leaped ahead, offering native visionOS apps for Disney+, Apple TV, HBO Max, and Paramount+.
Disney+ on Meta Quest – finally
Meta Quest users have finally received the promised Disney+ app since September. Disney announced that the app is now available in the Meta Horizon Store and allows Disney+ subscribers to watch movies and series on Meta Quest 2, Quest 3, and Quest 3S headsets in the USA. An international release is planned for early 2026.
This marks a symbolic yet significant step – the number of native streaming apps on Horizon OS has increased from one to two. Prime Video recently debuted as a native VR app. Disney also promises more VR-related news in the near future.
4K HDR on paper, no 3D in practice
Disney has confirmed that content can be streamed in 4K HDR – in HDR10 or Dolby Vision – for all Disney+ subscribers in the USA. However, Dolby Atmos sound remains reserved for the Disney+ Premium package. The problem is that the Meta Quest goggles use low-budget LCD panels that cannot display either 4K or HDR. In practice, this results in a resolution of about 2K per eye and an SDR image.
The biggest disappointment is the total lack of 3D movies. This is due to the hardware limitations of the entire Meta Quest line – none of the headsets support the MV-HEVC codec required for playing 3D movies in 4K. This technology is currently available on devices like Apple Vision Pro, where Disney and other studios offer an extensive library of 3D films. Theoretically, it would be possible to provide 3D movies in 1080p SDR on the Quests, but at this moment, there are no indications of that. On the release day, Disney+ on Meta Quest does not offer any form of 3D.
Small Advantages in Conclusion
On the plus side, it is worth noting the support for downloading content for offline viewing and support for the expanded IMAX aspect ratio. However, these are more minor additions than a real response to what the competition offers today in the VR world.
