Meta Quest OS Becomes OPEN. This Is HUGE!

Yesterday we got the biggest news for the whole VR industry in a long time. Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg somewhat casually announced that Meta is opening its Quest store and operating system to other headset makers. Asus, Lenovo and Xbox are already on board and plan their own headsets running what’s now called Meta Horizon OS. This could change everything, so here’s what it means for gamers like us and for the companies getting into VR. Keep in mind that a lot of my thoughts are speculation, because plenty is still unknown. This video isn’t sponsored.

What’s changing with Meta Horizon OS

The biggest part of the announcement is that the Quest operating system becomes Meta Horizon OS, and other device makers can build headsets that run it. It’s a pivot towards a more collaborative ecosystem, much like Android’s approach with smartphones.

Asus, Lenovo and Xbox

Three big brands are confirmed:

• Asus will make a high-performance gaming headset under its Republic of Gamers brand. I’m super interested in hearing more about that one.
• Lenovo plans mixed reality devices for productivity and entertainment.
• Xbox is teaming up with Meta on a special edition Quest. The concept image suggests a unique version of the Quest 3, with an Xbox controller in the box. I think it builds on their earlier collaboration that brought Xbox Cloud Gaming to Meta headsets, so you can play games on a 2D virtual screen in VR and MR.

Meta also said all these devices benefit from its partnership with Qualcomm, which makes the Snapdragon XR processors that work closely with Meta’s software and hardware.

An Android-style approach

We haven’t seen these headsets, only some images, and in his video Zuckerberg said it could be a while, maybe a few years, before you can buy them. It’s still important news, because it shows Meta changing how it handles its technology: more open and flexible like Android, unlike Apple’s closed system with iOS and Apple Vision Pro.

Every headset on Meta Horizon OS gets Meta’s XR technology, like its advanced inside-out tracking, mixed reality that understands your play space and local multiplayer features. Most importantly, they get access to Meta’s leading library of VR games and apps. Yes!

They also share the same social features: the same account, avatar and friends list on whichever headset you pick. This could be the start of what they call an “open metaverse”, where your digital belongings move between devices easily. But you’ll still need a Meta account, the headsets carry a “Built with Meta Horizon OS” sticker, and you’ll use the same phone app Quest owners use now, renamed the Meta Horizon app. So my question is: how open will it really be?

The strategy looks a lot like Android. Google let many phone makers use Android, which led to all kinds of smartphones, made it easier for developers to get involved and turned Google into a big name in phones. Meta probably hopes for the same in VR: an extremely light headset only for work, one with super-sharp OLED screens for movies in bed, a gaming headset that works with all kinds of controllers. Not everyone wants one headset that does everything, because that usually means it isn’t perfect at anything. More types of headsets could get more people into VR.

It also looks like Meta’s answer to Android XR, which Google is rumoured to announce at its developer event in a few weeks. A while back there were rumours that Google wanted Meta to switch to Android XR. Meta said no, and now it seems to be beating Google to it, which is funny, because Meta’s software is actually based on Android.

What changes for the Meta Horizon Store

The bigger impact of the OS will take a while, but one change will affect us much sooner: the Meta Quest Store becomes the Meta Horizon Store and gets more open. The Quest name stays for Meta’s own headsets, and Meta confirmed it will keep making new Quest headsets.

Right now, the Quest Store only lets in apps Meta specifically approves, and many developers complained the selection was subjective. So a lot of great apps went to App Lab instead, a kind of hidden store where you only find a game if you know its exact name or have a direct link. Some people liked the strict approach because it kept out low-quality apps, but it made it hard for indie developers to get unique apps in front of people who’d love them. Here’s the plan:

1. First, App Lab gets better integrated into the Horizon Store, so it’s easier to find a wider variety of apps.
2. Later, App Lab disappears into the main store, which takes on App Lab’s more relaxed rules. Apps still have to meet basic standards for how they work, their content and how they handle your privacy, but they won’t be turned away because someone doesn’t like them or thinks they aren’t good enough.

That’s exciting for independent XR developers who have struggled to get noticed, and I’m happy Meta is finally making good on its promise to be an “open alternative” to Apple Vision Pro. The risk I see is that great existing apps get harder to find as new ones flood in, which is what I feel is happening on the Android Play Store. On the other hand, more competition could lead to better content.

Meta is also working on a new spatial app framework to make it easier to build mixed reality experiences, and developers can sign up to use it.

The big questions still open

I think this is some of the most exciting VR news in a while. Meta’s VR software is already quite advanced, I’d even say the most advanced in standalone VR, and with more companies working together the technology could improve faster. But some big questions remain:

• How open is it? It’s unclear whether any company can use Meta Horizon OS, or only a select few.
• Avatars. We might use our avatars across platforms, but will we be stuck with only what Meta provides? That freedom is, in my opinion, a big deal for a true open metaverse.
• Too many headsets. The market could get crowded with different headsets, making it tough for developers to make sure their games work on all of them.
• Profit. Meta’s own headsets are cheaper because of subsidies, so other companies may find it hard to make money.

My verdict on an open Quest

The idea of a more open VR ecosystem is promising, and I truly applaud Meta for finally doing this. The reality might be more complicated, and we’ll have to see how it unfolds. There’s a lot of potential and a lot of unanswered questions. Still, after seven years I keep falling in love with this industry all over again, now with Meta Horizon OS, Apple Vision Pro and the upcoming Android XR. Are we on the brink of a VR revolution? Tell us where you think we’re headed in the comments.