Meta opens Quest OS to third-party headset makers, faucets Lenovo and Xbox as companions

The blended actuality working system that powers Meta Quest headsets can formally be utilized by third-party system makers, the corporate announced on Monday. Three main tech gamers — Asus, Lenovo and Microsoft’s Xbox — are the primary firms to verify they’ll be growing new units that run the software program.

Now known as “Meta Horizon OS,” the open system permits builders to entry applied sciences like eye, face, hand and physique monitoring and high-resolution passthrough, a well-liked blended actuality function the place customers can nonetheless see their environment whereas sporting the headset. The corporate says all future headsets can join by way of the Meta Quest app on iOS and Android units.

Notably, Microsoft is teaming up with Meta to construct a “limited-edition Meta Quest, impressed by Xbox,” in line with the announcement. Asus and Lenovo, alternatively, are constructing headsets designed for particular use instances. As an illustration, Asus is growing a headset devoted to gaming whereas Lenovo desires its system to be for “productiveness, studying, and leisure.”

Meta Horizon OS comes at a time when the VR/AR headset wars between Meta, Apple and Sony proceed to warmth up. Whereas the open working system is actually a strategic and attention-grabbing transfer for the corporate, the query stays if it is going to give Meta a leg up within the race or if the Quest-like headsets will even be in style.