Meta reveals big plans for its Horizon OS, expanding it to third-party mixed-reality headset makers

Meta on Monday announced the expansion of the operating system for its mixed-reality headset lineup to third-party device makers and brands. Horizon OS powers augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) experiences on the Meta Quest series, but now other companies can also use the OS for their headsets and similar devices. The company is also renaming its app marketplace Meta Quest Store to Meta Horizon Store as a part of its third-party OS expansion plans.

Announcing via a blog post, Meta said, “Today we are taking the next step toward our vision of a more open computing platform for the metaverse. “We are opening up the operating system that powers our MetaQuest devices to third-party hardware manufacturers, giving consumers more choice and creating a larger ecosystem for developers.”

The social media giant also revealed that it is already working with brands like Asus ROG which is developing a gaming headset and Lenovo which will use it for its productivity, learning and entertainment focused devices. Additionally, the company is also working on a limited edition Meta Quest inspired by its collaboration with Xbox last year. The new headset will let users play Xbox games on a 2D virtual screen in mixed reality.

While opening up its OS ecosystem, Meta is also helping developers create apps for the ecosystem seamlessly. To that end, mixed-reality headset maker Meta is removing barriers between the Horizon Store and its App Lab. App Lab titles will now be featured in a dedicated section within the Pre-Market.

The company is also developing a new spatial app framework that will enable mobile app developers to implement mixed-reality experiences within it and bring it to the Horizon Store. It further announced that Horizon OS will be an open ecosystem. It already hosts third-party gaming services like Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Steam Link, and has formally invited the Google Play 2D app store to join the Horizon Store.

Based on the announcement, Meta’s OS ecosystem ambition is a major one, and it’s comparable with the Windows and Android operating systems Microsoft and Google have built. With its open source approach and experience in creating cohesive experiences for mixed-reality environments, the company can make a bigger impact by bringing more brands under its umbrella.