Meta Halts Quest OS Partnership Program for Third-Party Headset Makers

Meta has paused its program to share its Meta Horizon OS, the mixed reality operating system that powers its Quest headsets, with third-party device makers. The program, which was part of the company's metaverse push, aimed to create a new generation of hardware that would give VR users their pick of devices when it came to engaging with Meta's digital worlds. According to a Meta spokesperson, the company has decided to focus on building "world-class first-party hardware and software needed to advance the VR market." The decision to pause the program was made to prioritize Meta's own hardware and software development, the spokesperson said. "We're committed to this for the long term and will revisit opportunities for third-party device partnerships as the category evolves," the spokesperson added. This move comes after Meta announced in April that it would be opening up Meta Horizon OS to third-party headset makers, with companies such as Asus, Microsoft's Xbox, and Lenovo working on creating new hardware that would run the company's software. The program was seen as a key part of Meta's metaverse push, which aims to create a virtual world that users can engage with using a range of devices. By sharing its operating system with third-party device makers, Meta hoped to create a broad hardware ecosystem that would give users a choice of devices to use when interacting with its digital worlds. This approach is similar to the PC and smartphone industries, where a range of devices from different manufacturers run on a single operating system. Industry analysts had been expecting Meta to prioritize its own hardware and software development, and the decision to pause the program is seen as a natural step in the company's evolution. "Meta's focus on building its own hardware and software is a key part of its metaverse strategy," said one analyst. "By prioritizing its own development, Meta can ensure that its devices meet its high standards for quality and performance." The current status of the program is that it has been paused, with Meta focusing on its own hardware and software development. The company has not ruled out the possibility of revisiting third-party device partnerships in the future, but for now, it is prioritizing its own development. As the VR market continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how Meta's decision to pause the program affects the development of new hardware and software.