Meta Pauses Plan to Share Quest's Horizon OS with Third-Party Headset Makers

Meta has decided to pause its initiative to share Meta Horizon OS, the mixed reality operating system that powers its Quest headsets, with third-party device makers. This program was initially part of the company's broader metaverse vision, aimed at fostering a "new generation of hardware" that would allow VR users to choose from various devices when engaging with Meta's digital worlds.

"We have paused the program to focus on building the world-class first-party hardware and software needed to advance the VR market," a Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch. "We're committed to this for the long term and will revisit opportunities for third-party device partnerships as the category evolves."

The news, initially reported by Road to VR, marks a shift in Meta's approach to the metaverse.

Last April, Meta announced plans to open up Meta Horizon OS to third-party headset makers. At that time, companies such as Asus, Microsoft's Xbox, and Lenovo were mentioned as partners developing new hardware to run the software. Meta had expressed the belief that, as seen in the PC and smartphone industries, a broad hardware ecosystem that produces both general-purpose devices and specialised products would benefit consumers, all running on a common platform.

Since the announcement, there have been a few updates on the program. In September, during Meta's Connect event, a spokesperson confirmed that the company was continuing to work with its business partners to expand Horizon OS to more devices.

Meta Horizon OS was designed to deliver "mixed reality experiences" and to communicate "social presence" through technologies such as hand, body, eye, and face tracking. This initiative came at a time when Meta's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, was committed to the metaverse as the future of his company.

However, recent reports suggest that Meta has become less focused on the metaverse as AI has gained more importance within the company. Bloomberg reported earlier this month that the metaverse group within Reality Labs, Meta's unit responsible for VR and AR hardware, is facing potential budget cuts of up to 30%. Meta later confirmed it plans to shift some of its investment away from the metaverse toward AI glasses and wearables, which are gaining momentum.