Today we're taking the next step toward our vision for a more open computing platform for the metaverse. We're opening up the operating system powering our Meta Quest devices to third-party hardware makers, giving more choice to consumers and a larger ecosystem for developers to build for. 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.
Introducing Meta Horizon OS
This new hardware ecosystem will run on Meta Horizon OS, the mixed reality operating system that powers our Meta Quest headsets. We chose this name to reflect our vision of a computing platform built around people and connection—and the shared social fabric that makes this possible. Meta Horizon OS combines the core technologies powering today's mixed reality experiences with a suite of features that put social presence at the center of the platform.
Meta Horizon OS is the result of a decade of work by Meta to build a next-generation computing platform. To pioneer standalone headsets, we developed technologies like inside-out tracking, and for more natural interaction systems and social presence, we developed eye, face, hand, and body tracking. For mixed reality, we built a full stack of technologies for blending the digital and physical worlds, including high-resolution Passthrough, Scene Understanding, and Spatial Anchors. This long-term investment that began on the mobile-first foundations of the Android Open Source Project has produced a full mixed reality operating system used by millions of people.
Developers and creators can take advantage of all these technologies using the custom frameworks and tooling we've built for creating mixed reality experiences, and they can reach their communities and grow their businesses through the content discovery and monetization platforms built into the OS. These include the Meta Quest Store, which contains the world's best library of immersive apps and experiences—we're renaming it to the Meta Horizon Store.
The Horizon social layer currently powering Meta Quest devices will extend across this new ecosystem. It enables people's identities, avatars, and friend groups to move with them across virtual spaces and lets developers integrate rich social features into their apps. And because this social layer is made to bridge multiple platforms, people can spend time together in virtual worlds that exist across mixed reality, mobile, and desktop devices. Meta Horizon OS devices will also use the same mobile companion app that Meta Quest owners use today—we'll rename this as the Meta Horizon app.
A New Generation of Hardware
The growth of the mixed reality market and the rising popularity of use cases like gaming, entertainment, fitness, productivity, and social presence have created new opportunities for specialized hardware. As we've seen with the PC and smartphone industries, consumers are best served by a broad hardware ecosystem producing both general-purpose computing devices and more specialized products, all running on a common platform.
Leading global technology companies are already working on new devices built on Meta Horizon OS:
A More Open App Ecosystem
As we begin opening Meta Horizon OS to more device makers, we're also expanding the ways app developers can reach their audiences. We're beginning the process of removing the barriers between the Meta Horizon Store and App Lab, which lets any developer who meets basic technical and content requirements ship software on the platform. App Lab titles will soon be featured in a dedicated section of the Store on all our devices, making them more discoverable to larger audiences. Some of the most popular apps on the Store today, like Gorilla Tag and Gym Class, began on App Lab. We're excited to make it even easier for developers to quickly ship their titles on our platform.
We're also developing a new spatial app framework that helps mobile developers create mixed reality experiences. Developers will be able to use the tools they're already familiar with to bring their mobile apps to Meta Horizon OS or to create entirely new mixed reality apps. Developers can apply for access here.
Along with a more open app store, Meta Horizon OS will continue to give people more choice in how to access apps. Because we don't restrict users to titles from our own app store, there are multiple ways to access great content on Meta Horizon OS, including popular gaming services like Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, or through Steam Link or our Air Link system for wirelessly streaming PC software to headsets. And we encourage the Google Play 2D app store to come to Meta Horizon OS, where it can operate with the same economic model it does on other platforms.
The Future of Mixed Reality
Consumers and developers alike stand to benefit the most from an ecosystem where multiple hardware makers build on a common platform. Our partners are excited to begin this journey with us.
"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
"Mixed reality is transforming how people interface with computers by integrating digital experiences and physical spaces to reach new levels of productivity, learning and play. Building from our past successful partnership, Lenovo is bringing together Meta Horizon OS with our leadership and innovation in personal computing to accelerate adoption of new user scenarios in mixed reality like virtual screens, remote presence, content consumption, and immersive training." - Yuanqing Yang, Chair & CEO, Lenovo
"The convergence of physical and digital spaces is accelerating, and we see virtual reality, mixed reality, and augmented reality becoming the next computing platform. To enable this future, these high-performance devices require an entirely new class of Snapdragon processors. Our collaboration with Meta has produced extraordinary experiences that have become the benchmark of the industry, and we're excited to see this new ecosystem taking shape." - Cristiano Amon, President and CEO, Qualcomm Inc.
View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source
Introducing Meta Horizon OS
This new hardware ecosystem will run on Meta Horizon OS, the mixed reality operating system that powers our Meta Quest headsets. We chose this name to reflect our vision of a computing platform built around people and connection—and the shared social fabric that makes this possible. Meta Horizon OS combines the core technologies powering today's mixed reality experiences with a suite of features that put social presence at the center of the platform.
Meta Horizon OS is the result of a decade of work by Meta to build a next-generation computing platform. To pioneer standalone headsets, we developed technologies like inside-out tracking, and for more natural interaction systems and social presence, we developed eye, face, hand, and body tracking. For mixed reality, we built a full stack of technologies for blending the digital and physical worlds, including high-resolution Passthrough, Scene Understanding, and Spatial Anchors. This long-term investment that began on the mobile-first foundations of the Android Open Source Project has produced a full mixed reality operating system used by millions of people.
Developers and creators can take advantage of all these technologies using the custom frameworks and tooling we've built for creating mixed reality experiences, and they can reach their communities and grow their businesses through the content discovery and monetization platforms built into the OS. These include the Meta Quest Store, which contains the world's best library of immersive apps and experiences—we're renaming it to the Meta Horizon Store.
The Horizon social layer currently powering Meta Quest devices will extend across this new ecosystem. It enables people's identities, avatars, and friend groups to move with them across virtual spaces and lets developers integrate rich social features into their apps. And because this social layer is made to bridge multiple platforms, people can spend time together in virtual worlds that exist across mixed reality, mobile, and desktop devices. Meta Horizon OS devices will also use the same mobile companion app that Meta Quest owners use today—we'll rename this as the Meta Horizon app.
A New Generation of Hardware
The growth of the mixed reality market and the rising popularity of use cases like gaming, entertainment, fitness, productivity, and social presence have created new opportunities for specialized hardware. As we've seen with the PC and smartphone industries, consumers are best served by a broad hardware ecosystem producing both general-purpose computing devices and more specialized products, all running on a common platform.
Leading global technology companies are already working on new devices built on Meta Horizon OS:
- ASUS's Republic of Gamers will use its expertise as a leader in gaming solutions to develop an all-new performance gaming headset.
- Lenovo will draw on its experience co-designing Oculus Rift S, as well as deep expertise in engineering leading devices like the ThinkPad laptop series, to develop mixed reality devices for productivity, learning, and entertainment.
- Xbox and Meta teamed up last year to bring Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) to Meta Quest, letting people play Xbox games on a large 2D virtual screen in mixed reality. Now, we're working together again to create a limited-edition Meta Quest, inspired by Xbox.
A More Open App Ecosystem
As we begin opening Meta Horizon OS to more device makers, we're also expanding the ways app developers can reach their audiences. We're beginning the process of removing the barriers between the Meta Horizon Store and App Lab, which lets any developer who meets basic technical and content requirements ship software on the platform. App Lab titles will soon be featured in a dedicated section of the Store on all our devices, making them more discoverable to larger audiences. Some of the most popular apps on the Store today, like Gorilla Tag and Gym Class, began on App Lab. We're excited to make it even easier for developers to quickly ship their titles on our platform.
We're also developing a new spatial app framework that helps mobile developers create mixed reality experiences. Developers will be able to use the tools they're already familiar with to bring their mobile apps to Meta Horizon OS or to create entirely new mixed reality apps. Developers can apply for access here.
Along with a more open app store, Meta Horizon OS will continue to give people more choice in how to access apps. Because we don't restrict users to titles from our own app store, there are multiple ways to access great content on Meta Horizon OS, including popular gaming services like Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, or through Steam Link or our Air Link system for wirelessly streaming PC software to headsets. And we encourage the Google Play 2D app store to come to Meta Horizon OS, where it can operate with the same economic model it does on other platforms.
The Future of Mixed Reality
Consumers and developers alike stand to benefit the most from an ecosystem where multiple hardware makers build on a common platform. Our partners are excited to begin this journey with us.
"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
"Mixed reality is transforming how people interface with computers by integrating digital experiences and physical spaces to reach new levels of productivity, learning and play. Building from our past successful partnership, Lenovo is bringing together Meta Horizon OS with our leadership and innovation in personal computing to accelerate adoption of new user scenarios in mixed reality like virtual screens, remote presence, content consumption, and immersive training." - Yuanqing Yang, Chair & CEO, Lenovo
"The convergence of physical and digital spaces is accelerating, and we see virtual reality, mixed reality, and augmented reality becoming the next computing platform. To enable this future, these high-performance devices require an entirely new class of Snapdragon processors. Our collaboration with Meta has produced extraordinary experiences that have become the benchmark of the industry, and we're excited to see this new ecosystem taking shape." - Cristiano Amon, President and CEO, Qualcomm Inc.
View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source
