Meta has said that its operating system powering Meta Quest devices will be open to third-party hardware makers. Called Meta Horizon OS, the operating system will allow other device makers to develop devices around it. “We’re working with leading global technology companies to bring this new ecosystem to life and making it even easier for developers to build apps and reach their audiences on the platform,” said Meta.
One company Meta is working with to launch a limited-edition product is Microsoft. “We’re working together again to create a limited-edition Meta Quest, inspired by Xbox,” Meta confirmed in a blog post.
In an Instagram post, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that the Xbox-inspired version of its headset will come out of the box “with Xbox controllers and Game Pass, so you can immediately just start playing on a big screen anywhere you go.”
Microsoft did have its own mixed reality unit but shuttered it down in December 2023. Interestingly, it was started in 2017 as a rival to Oculus, which Meta bought over.
Meanwhile, Microsoft isn’t the only company Meta is looking at. The social media giant has confirmed that the likes of Asus and Lenovo will be developing mixed reality devices for gaming, learning and entertainment. “We’ve been inspired by the incredible gaming community that has formed around virtual and mixed reality, and we know that the most passionate gamers want high-performance hardware. With Meta Horizon OS, ASUS and Republic of Gamers will build the gaming headset of the next generation,” S Y Hsu, co-CEO, Asus.
Meta said — taking a not-so-subtle dig at Apple — that consumers and developers alike stand to “benefit the most from an ecosystem where multiple hardware makers build on a common platform.”
Also read: Meta opens up Horizon OS to third-party device makers, escalating battle with Apple
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