Executives at Meta Platforms Inc., formerly Facebook Inc., are reportedly considering launching a network of retail stores to help promote the company’s virtual reality and augmented reality devices.

The New York Times revealed the plan in a report this morning. According to the report, sources familiar with the matter and company documents indicate that the stores would carry products developed by Meta’s Reality Labs division, which is among others responsible for designing its VR headsets. The flagship retail location could open in Burlingame, California, where Reality Labs maintains an office.

Early proposals for the stores’ design are said to have included a “flat, minimalist aesthetic to the building exteriors” as well as “subtle placement of the Facebook brand.” As for the name, the company is said to have considered about a half-dozen possibilities before settling on “Facebook Store” as the top candidate. It’s unclear how the network social’s recent move to rebrand from Facebook to Meta may influence its plans, but it’s plausible that the design of the stores will change to reflect the new company name.

The rebrand to Meta was announced at the social network’s Connect event last week. During Connect, executives also previewed an upcoming headset that will provide both VR and AR capabilities in a single system. The headset is said to feature, among other innovations, new optical technology that makes the device more compact than traditional VR systems. It’s possible that the optical technology is the experimental VR lens design detailed by Meta’s research division last year, which takes up a fraction of the space as traditional lenses.

The social network hasn’t disclosed the planned headset’s price tag or launch date. However, Meta did specify at Connect that the device will be positioned as a high-end product and can be expected to debut next year.

The retail stores that Meta is considering to build could be part of an effort to compete with Apple Inc., which according to recent rumors could also launch a high-end VR and AR headset next year. Apple already operates numerous stores worldwide. Building a retail presence could potentially enable Meta to respond more effectively if and when the iPhone maker starts offering its rumored headset through its stores.

The social network’s recent rebrand to Meta and its increased focus on consumer hardware are part of its effort to build the metaverse. The metaverse is envisioned as a future version of the internet where VR and AR play a much bigger role than today. 

The technology could potentially create additional revenue streams for Meta by enabling it to provide new types of digital advertising channels such as virtual stores. Moreover, there may be a growth opportunity for the company in AR and VR applications developed by third parties for its headsets. In the mobile market, third-party applications are already big business for platform operators, with Apple estimated to be generating billions of dollars in annual revenues from its App Store.

Meta is said to have been working on the effort to build retail stores for months. However, there’s reportedly still a chance that the initiative won’t proceed. If it does, Meta would be joining Google LLC in the retail market: The search giant earlier this year announced plans to build its first retail store in New York to promote its consumer hardware products.

Photo: Meta