Meta Halts Quest Horizon OS Sharing With Third Parties
▼ Summary
– Meta has paused its program to share its Horizon OS mixed reality operating system with third-party device makers to focus on its own first-party hardware and software.
– The program, announced in April, initially involved partners like Asus, Microsoft’s Xbox, and Lenovo creating new hardware running Horizon OS.
– Horizon OS was designed to enable mixed reality and social presence through advanced tracking, and was central to Meta’s earlier metaverse vision.
– Meta’s strategic focus has shifted away from the metaverse toward AI, with investments being redirected to AI glasses and wearables.
– This shift is evidenced by reported potential budget cuts to the metaverse group and a company confirmation of reallocating investment.
Meta has decided to temporarily suspend its initiative to license the Meta Horizon OS to other hardware manufacturers. This strategic pause shifts the company’s focus toward refining its own first-party VR and mixed reality products. The move represents a notable recalibration of its earlier ambitions to build a broad ecosystem of devices running a common platform, similar to the PC or smartphone markets.
A company representative explained the decision, stating the current priority is developing the world-class first-party hardware and software required to push the entire virtual reality sector forward. While the long-term commitment to VR remains, opportunities for third-party partnerships will be re-evaluated as the market matures. This development follows the initial announcement last April, which named partners like Asus, Lenovo, and Microsoft’s Xbox in developing new hardware utilizing the operating system.
The Horizon OS platform was engineered to power immersive mixed reality, emphasizing social presence through advanced tracking of users’ hands, eyes, face, and body. Its development was central to Meta’s previously stated vision, where the metaverse was championed as the definitive future for the company. However, updates on the partner program have been scarce since its unveiling, with only a brief confirmation last September that collaborations were ongoing.
This shift in focus coincides with a broader strategic pivot within Meta. Investment is increasingly being directed toward artificial intelligence and wearables, such as AI glasses, areas where the company sees significant current momentum. Reports indicate that the metaverse-focused division within Reality Labs is facing substantial potential budget reductions. The company has acknowledged a strategic reallocation of resources, moving some investments away from the metaverse to accelerate development in these newer, high-priority areas.
(Source: TechCrunch)
