Meta Backs Down: Company Now Wants to Develop VR Headsets Alone

A year and a half ago, Meta Platforms announced that it would license Horizon OS to selected hardware partners, enabling them to develop specialized headsets based on the Quest operating system. Asus and Lenovo were the first partners. Asus promised a high-quality VR headset specifically for computer games, while Lenovo planned a mixed-reality device focused on productivity. But now Meta has put the initiative on hold before the products have even been released.

“We have paused the program to focus on developing the first-class proprietary hardware and software necessary to advance the VR market,” the industry blog Road to VR quotes a Meta spokesperson. “We are committed to this course in the long term and want to re-evaluate potential third-party partnerships at a later date as the market evolves.”

Meta Lagging Behind

With the initiative, Meta aimed to lay the foundation for a thriving hardware ecosystem, starting with VR headsets and later expanding to other spatial computers such as AR glasses. CEO Mark Zuckerberg hoped to bind third-party manufacturers to his operating system through early competitive advantages and platform openness, similar to what Google achieved with Android.

His problem is that demand for VR headsets has lagged behind expectations in recent years, or at least has not been large enough to make the development of specialized headsets economically attractive. In addition, Meta aggressively subsidizes its devices, thereby entering into direct competition with potential hardware partners. An environment in which third-party manufacturers like Asus and Lenovo would have had difficulty asserting themselves.

With the introduction of Android XR, Google is increasing the pressure. It is in the process of implementing exactly what Meta originally envisioned for Horizon OS: to become an “Android for spatial computers.” Unlike Meta, Google can rely on its full control over Android and directly integrate the existing app ecosystem, while Meta is dependent on the goodwill of Google and other app developers. This makes Android XR more attractive in a key aspect and could lead third-party manufacturers to opt for Android XR over Horizon OS in the future. Meta would lose the platform competition.

New Focus

The temporary end of the partner program comes at a time when Meta is consolidating its VR investments. According to a leaked internal document, the focus will increasingly be on sustainability and quality in the future: its VR headsets will receive longer release cycles and be positioned at a higher price point.

A mixed-reality headset, originally planned for 2026, intended as a competitor to the Apple Vision Pro and Samsung Galaxy XR, has been postponed to 2027 to allow more time for software development. In parallel, Meta has begun development of the Meta Quest 4, whose launch is expected to be significantly later than originally anticipated. At least it is expected to be a “significant upgrade” of the previous generation.

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