Meta unveils Quest OS for third-party hardware makers, names Lenovo and Xbox as partners

On April 22, 2024, Meta, the parent company of platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads, unveiled on April 22, 2024, its operating system for Meta Quest devices to third-party hardware manufacturers. This move expands the developer landscape, offering a broader ecosystem and enhancing consumer choice.

Tech giants Asus, Lenovo, and Microsoft’s Xbox — are the first companies to confirm that they will crafting new devices powered by the software.

All of these devices will benefit from Meta's longstanding partnership with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., the creator of Snapdragon® processors tightly woven into its software and hardware systems.

Rebranded as Meta Horizon OS, the open platform grants developers access to cutting-edge technologies such as eye, face, hand, and body tracking, along with high-resolution passthrough—a mixed reality feature enabling users to perceive their surroundings while using the headset. Meta assures that all forthcoming headsets will be compatible via the Meta Quest app on both iOS and Android devices.

In a video shared by Mark Zuckerberg on his Instagram account, he provided glimpses of potential specialised headsets that partners might create: a lightweight design with moisture-wicking materials for fitness, a high-resolution immersive model for entertainment, and another equipped with haptic feedback for gaming.

According to Meta's blog post published on April 22, 2024, ASUS' Republic of Gamers is in the process of developing a gaming headset, while Lenovo is focussing on an MR device designed for productivity, learning, and entertainment using the Horizon OS. Zuckerberg mentioned that it could be a couple of years before these devices hit the market.