Horizon OS Update: Rebuilt Home, Windows 11 Link & More
▼ Summary
– Horizon OS v81 introduces enhanced Home personalization, allowing users to pin windowed apps and select new scenic environments in VR and mixed reality.
– The update includes a redesigned Passthrough Home for anchoring apps in physical spaces and placing objects like avatar mirrors or portals to Horizon Central.
– Horizon Central has been rebuilt to support more users in a larger space, featuring faster travel, a digital storefront, and a new Arena for live events.
– Mixed Reality Link, developed with Microsoft, enables remote desktop access to Windows 11 and Windows 365, supporting multiple virtual monitors in VR and MR.
– The update reduces friction for entering Horizon Worlds, aiming to increase user engagement through improved accessibility and social features.
Meta’s latest Horizon OS v81 update introduces a suite of enhancements designed to personalize the virtual reality experience and streamline access to its social ecosystem. This significant release focuses on three core areas: a more customizable Home environment, deeper integration with Windows 11, and a completely rebuilt Horizon Central to serve as a more vibrant social hub.
The new Immersive Home experience receives a substantial upgrade, granting users the ability to pin windowed applications and select from a fresh collection of scenic backdrops. A redesigned Passthrough Home extends this functionality into mixed reality, allowing you to anchor apps directly within your physical space. Imagine having your Spotify playlist fixed to your dresser, a photo gallery displayed on the wall, or your WhatsApp chats positioned on your desk. You can also place interactive objects, such as an avatar mirror or a portal leading directly to Horizon Central.
Speaking of Horizon Central, this social hub has undergone a total transformation. It now accommodates a larger number of users within a more expansive and intricately detailed space. Navigation between different destinations is noticeably faster. The rebuilt hub also features a new digital storefront for purchasing avatar items and introduces an Arena dedicated to hosting live events like concerts, comedy shows, and sports viewings.
A standout feature of v81 is the introduction of Mixed Reality Link, developed in partnership with Microsoft. This functionality essentially brings a full Windows 11 or Windows 365 remote desktop into the Quest headset. It supports multiple virtual monitors, enhancing productivity for both VR and mixed reality workflows. Notably, future Windows 11 PCs will come with Mixed Reality Link enabled by default.
Additional improvements are aimed at refining the overall user experience. The new Full Passthrough feature lets players quickly glance at their real-world surroundings without leaving immersive apps like Beat Saber. Users can now open up to 12 application windows at the same time. The update also includes Shareable Links for easily distributing VR photos and videos via the Horizon mobile app, a more streamlined Welcome Screen, and Universal Resize and Ratio Locking for superior display control.
The true significance of this update may lie in how it reduces the barriers to entering Meta’s Horizon Worlds. By making the Home environment more engaging and the central social hub more capable, Meta is subtly guiding users toward its platform. This strategy appears to be gaining traction. Over the past few years, Meta has made considerable progress, shifting from a focus on first-party games to empowering user-generated content, a process now accelerated by AI generation tools that simplify world-building.
The introduction of the new Horizon Engine is a critical development, reportedly speeding up world loading times and supporting “well over 100” concurrent users in a single instance. This technical leap is particularly important for large-scale, branded live events, solidifying Horizon Worlds’ position as the primary social VR destination on Quest.
Lowering user friction is comparable to upgrading a headset’s comfort; a small change can significantly influence how often someone chooses to engage. By making the journey into its social worlds smoother and more appealing, Meta hopes to transform occasional visitors into regular participants who attend events and social gatherings multiple times a week. While specific user numbers remain undisclosed, the continued investment and expansion of Horizon Worlds strongly suggest a growing and active community.
(Source: RoadToVR)
