Quest App Downloads Decrease by 27% Year-on-Year Amid Meta’s Efforts to Boost Quest 3S Sales

Meta tends to keep things pretty quiet when it comes to revealing exact sales numbers for its headsets. However, there are a few methods we can use to get a sense of how popular their platform is. One reliable way is by checking out the number of fresh downloads for their must-have companion app, Meta Horizon, which is available for Android and iOS users.

Recent data from the independent analyst group Omdia, referenced by Game Developer and highlighted in Forbes, points out that on Christmas Day 2024, there was a 27% drop in downloads of the Meta Horizon app compared to the same day in 2023. Traditionally, this day has always been the peak for such downloads.

The graph provided by Omdia and Sensor Tower showcases key moments in the release history of the Meta Quest series. It tracks everything from the launch of Quest 2 in October 2020—which saw record sales the subsequent year—to the more recent releases of Quest 3 in October 2023 and Quest 3S in October 2024.

For context, the Quest 3S is Meta’s latest mixed-reality headset. It combines the powerful Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset and full-color mixed reality features found in Quest 3 but includes the older displays and bulkier Fresnel lenses from Quest 2. If you’re on a budget of $300, the Quest 3S is a solid choice, though we’d recommend the Quest 3 at $500 for a better all-around experience.

But there’s more to the picture. The graph excludes factors like re-downloads, app updates, or secondary downloads on additional devices linked to an existing iOS or Google Play account. Moreover, it doesn’t reflect users upgrading their existing Quest devices, such as moving from a Quest 2 to a Quest 3S.

As Game Developer indicates, other considerations can blur the correlation between app downloads and headset sales. These include secondary market sales, sharing of headsets, and even curious non-owners downloading the app to browse the app store.

In the absence of official sales data from Meta, we turn to third-party retailers for insight. Game Developer, citing Amazon sales figures, reports that over 160,000 Quest headsets were sold in November 2024 across eight countries, reflecting a 16% decline in year-over-year sales. Remarkably, two-thirds of these sales were the Quest 3S model, leaving the rest for Quest 3 units.

Interestingly, while there was a dip in overall downloads and Amazon sales, the Quest 3S emerged as the best-selling console on Amazon US in 2024. It even outpaced other major consoles like the Switch, PlayStation 5 Pro, and both Xbox Series S and X models.

Still, these downward trends might indicate waning interest compared to the Quest 2’s heyday, which had set a high-performance benchmark. According to Omdia, after the Quest 2 launched, Meta more than doubled total app downloads the following year and nearly tripled them for Christmas downloads.

Whether the VR market is leveling off or seeing a shift in consumer preferences is yet to be fully understood. What’s undeniable, though, is that Meta’s Quest line remains a pivotal player in the consumer VR space. However, with companies like Google potentially eyeing this sector, competition could be heating up.

To stimulate interest in the Quest 3S, Meta has rolled out discounts, knocking $50 off the 256GB model for a limited period, pricing it at $350. This offer includes a complimentary copy of the well-received Batman: Arkham Shadow and a three-month trial of Quest+, Meta’s game subscription service.

Whether these developments point to a market shift or just a change in priority for consumers, one thing is sure: Meta’s Quest line continues to shape the future of consumer VR. But who knows—things might be on the brink of change, something Google likely welcomes.