- Meta Platforms announces the opening of its Quest headset’s operating system to third-party device makers, including Microsoft, for the first time.
- The move allows partners to utilize Meta Horizon OS, offering capabilities like gesture recognition and scene understanding for their devices.
- Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg aims to solidify Meta’s influence in the virtual and mixed reality industry, following a strategy similar to Google’s Android in the smartphone market.
Meta Platforms, formerly known as Facebook, is extending its influence in the virtual and mixed reality industry by sharing its Quest headset’s operating system with third-party device makers, including Microsoft. This move marks the first time Meta has opened its operating system to rival companies, showcasing Meta’s ambition to dominate the emerging VR and MR market.
The operating system, Meta Horizon OS, provides features like gesture recognition, scene understanding, and spatial anchors, empowering partner companies to develop their own customized devices tailored for specific activities. Partners such as Asus and Lenovo are set to utilize the operating system to create specialized headsets, catering to gaming, productivity, learning, and entertainment purposes.
Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg aims to emulate Google’s success with its open-source Android platform in the smartphone market, positioning Meta as the computational platform leader in VR and MR. By opening up the Quest operating system, Meta seeks to foster innovation and broaden the adoption of VR and MR headsets beyond the gaming community, despite facing increasing competition from tech giants like Apple and Google in the space.
