Meta has partnered with BNPL firm Klarna to introduce a “Play Now, Pay Later” bundle for its mixed reality headsets in the UK.
UK consumers can purchase the latest Meta Quest 3 and Quest 3S headsets with a 0% APR 12-month payment plan via Klarna, which includes a subscription to Meta Horizon+ for prices starting at £29.99 per month.
Klarna views this collaboration as a significant entry into the rapidly expanding gaming sector and a headset market poised for growth.
In related news, Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski recently addressed the impact of AI on the company’s workforce and customer service. He gained attention last month for discussing Klarna’s evolving AI-driven workforce reduction strategy, which has seen staff decrease from 5,500 two years ago to 3,000.
Siemiatkowski noted that Klarna is now hiring customer service personnel, acknowledging that many customers still prefer human interaction. Speaking at London SXSW this week, he stated, “We think offering human customer service is always going to be a VIP thing.”
He elaborated that Klarna aims to balance automation and human connection: “We can use AI to take away tedious jobs while ensuring our customers have access to human support.”