Meta is now accepting orders again for its Elite Strap with a new Battery for Meta Quest 3, but it's only accessible directly through Meta. Third-party retailers like Best Buy or Amazon are yet to resume offering the device. This indicates Meta is prioritizing replacements for existing customers with defective units. In the U.S., placing new orders today ensures a shipment date of December 19th, while European charges are anticipated to arrive slightly later, around December 29th. This suggests Meta is actively working to fulfill replacement orders and gradually expanding availability to other channels.

Meta Quest 3 Strap New Update

This month, we highlighted serious reliability concerns among users of the Elite Strap with Battery. Priced at $130, this accessory promises two hours of additional playtime and improved ergonomics over the product's strap. However, some users experienced a charging issue where the accessory, at a certain point, refused to charge their Quest 3, essentially rendering it a costly counterweight.

During this period, Meta supported that replacing faulty units with new ones "may not majorly resolve the issue." This statement hinted at a potential hardware defect or a firmware problem with the Battery Strap. The situation underscores the challenges Meta faced in ensuring the reliability of its accessories for a seamless user experience.

A Meta representative has officially confirmed to Road to VR that device sales have been temporarily halted. However, the company is manufacturing new units without the reported fault, which has been identified as firmware-related.

Meta clarifies that it isn't conducting a formal recall but substituting affected units individually. The company is collaborating with retail partners to stock shelves with the updated units swiftly.

For now, authorized Meta retail members Target and Best Buy have entirely removed the listings. While Amazon and Meta's direct channels still display listings, they are labeled 'out of stock' with no specified timeframe for new shipments. We've contacted several significant retailers to inquire about availability & will provide updates to this article upon receiving responses.

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