In a bid to challenge Apple’s dominance in the high-end virtual reality market, Meta is opening up its Meta Quest operating system to third-party manufacturers and software developers. The move, announced by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, aims to broaden the Meta Quest’s appeal and create a more accessible alternative to Apple’s $3,500 Vision Pro headset.
Meta is making its Horizon OS, which powers the Meta Quest headsets, available to third parties. This will allow other companies to create their own VR headsets that run on Meta’s platform. The company also plans to merge its App Lab platform, which currently hosts apps that haven’t been fully vetted by Meta, into the main Meta Horizon Store. This will make it easier for users to discover and install these apps.
Meta has also introduced a new spatial app framework that will make it easier for developers to port mobile apps to Horizon and convert them into mixed reality experiences.
Meta’s shift towards an open ecosystem strategy is a significant move that could make it a major player in the augmented reality space. The company’s goal is to become the Android of augmented reality, offering a wide range of affordable and accessible VR devices and experiences.
