Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has decided to pause its initiative to license its VR operating system, Horizon OS, to other hardware companies. This move, as reported by The Verge, aims to allow the company to focus on enhancing its in-house VR hardware and software offerings.
The third-party program, initially announced in April 2024, was intended to provide consumers with more VR headset options and foster a richer developer ecosystem. Meta’s goal was to shape the future of computing, particularly in the areas of the metaverse, glasses, and headsets, by adopting an open model.
However, Meta has now decided to halt the third-party program to concentrate on building “world-class first-party hardware and software” to advance the VR market, as stated by Johanna Peace, a Meta spokesperson. The company remains committed to this direction in the long term and may revisit partnerships with third-party devices as the VR landscape evolves.
Recent internal memos cited by Business Insider also reveal that Meta has decided to postpone the launch of its mixed reality glasses, codenamed “Phoenix,” to the first half of 2027. Additionally, the company is working on a new Quest device and considering reallocating investments from the metaverse to AI glasses and wearables.
Source: The Verge
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