Meta, the company behind the Quest line of mixed-reality devices, has announced a significant development regarding its operating system, opening it up to third-party hardware and software development. This strategic move is aimed at fostering a more open computing platform for the metaverse, offering consumers greater choice in the mixed reality landscape.
To bring this vision to fruition, Meta has forged partnerships with leading technology companies, including Asus, Lenovo, and Microsoft’s Xbox brand. Each partner will collaborate with Meta to develop their own mixed reality devices, utilizing the Meta Horizon OS.
Asus: The Republic of Gamers division at Asus is currently in the process of developing a performance gaming headset. While specific details about the headset are scarce, it is expected to prioritize high-definition audio and visuals, with a particular emphasis on multiplayer connectivity.
Lenovo: Leveraging their previous collaboration with Meta in developing the Oculus Rift S headsets, Lenovo, a prominent Chinese tech giant, will utilize their expertise to create mixed reality devices tailored for productivity, learning, and entertainment purposes.
Microsoft’s Xbox: Building upon their existing partnership, Meta and Xbox have joined forces to produce a limited-edition Meta Quest headset inspired by Xbox. This collaboration expands on their previous endeavours, including enabling users to play Xbox games on a 2D virtual screen within the Quest environment.
These collaborations aim to diversify the range of mixed reality devices available to consumers, catering to various use cases such as gaming, productivity, and entertainment. The Meta Horizon OS will serve as the underlying operating system for these devices, offering access to cutting-edge technologies like eye, face, hand, and body tracking, as well as high-resolution passthrough capabilities.
The Meta Horizon OS represents the culmination of a decade of investment in mixed reality technologies by Meta. It integrates core technologies for mixed reality experiences with a suite of features prioritizing social presence. The social layer of the Meta Horizon OS enables seamless movement of people’s identities, avatars, social graphs, and friend groups across virtual spaces, facilitating shared experiences across different devices.
Developers and creators will have the opportunity to leverage the technologies offered by Meta Horizon OS to craft immersive mixed reality experiences. Furthermore, they can utilize the content discovery and monetization platforms integrated into the operating system, such as the Meta Horizon Store.
In addition to collaborating with hardware partners, Meta is actively expanding the app ecosystem for Meta Horizon OS. They are streamlining the process for developers to release software on the platform by removing barriers between the Meta Horizon Store and App Lab. Moreover, Meta is developing a new spatial app framework to assist mobile developers in creating compelling mixed reality experiences.
