Meta announces the marketing of Horizon OS, the operating system integrated into its headsets Meta Quest, to third-party manufacturers. An initiative that pits it against Apple and its closed ecosystem VisionPro.
This major decision, marking a clear change in strategy for Meta, did not come on a whim. In an interview dating from 2022 given to The VergeMark Zuckerberg, big boss of the social media giant, was already pleading in favor of an open ecosystem:
“ In the open ecosystem, partnerships are much broader. Microsoft didn’t build the chips, or the PCs, or the App Store. These are all these key elements that have been developed around the ecosystem. A bit like for Android. And that’s essentially what we’re hoping to build here, the open ecosystem for the next generation of computing around virtual and augmented reality in the metaverse more broadly, which means there’s going to be a need for all these partnerships “.
Asus and Lenovo are developing their own headsets
Concretely, third-party companies can now design their own virtual reality headset, then obtain a license from Meta to equip it with the Horizon OS operating system. An approach which could see the number of this type of device increase, as the development of the OS for this technology can prove complex.
Two manufacturers have already responded to the call. Asus is working on a headset dedicated to gaming, while Lenovo is developing a product intended for “ productivity, learning and entertainment “. At the same time, Meta’s approach will extend the reach of the Horizon social platform, which will be directly integrated into the operating system. A well-oiled strategy, since its long-term ambition is to monetize it through advertising and online commerce.
The Android of VR headsets?
Meta also announces the development of a limited edition of the Quest headset “ inspired » from Xbox. Microsoft and Meta recently collaborated to bring the platform’s cloud gaming to the Quest. Always in the interest of openness, Meta is increasing the means of discovering other application stores. Thus, Google is invited to integrate the Play Store into Horizon OS.
Through these different projects, Meta is directly opposed to Apple. Unsurprisingly, its visionOS operating system is exclusively reserved for the Vision Pro. A maneuver comparable to the competition between iOS, which equips the iPhone, and Android, which Google markets to numerous smartphone manufacturers.
Sources: The Verge, Meta
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