Meta confirmed that it has "suspended" its plan to open VR operating system licensing to other hardware manufacturers, and will instead focus its resources on the research and development of its own brand of virtual reality hardware and software. The plan originally allowed partners such as Lenovo and Asus to build their own VR devices based on Meta's head-mounted display system. It was regarded as an important step for Meta to promote Horizon OS as an open platform for the industry.
This third-party licensing project was first announced in April 2024, when Meta announced that it would rename its Quest headset operating system to Horizon OS and open it to external licenses. It hopes to expand consumer choices and the developer ecosystem through more brands joining. CEO Mark Zuckerberg emphasized in the video at the time that he hoped to use this "open model" to once again shape the industry landscape on next-generation computing platforms such as the Metaverse, glasses, and headsets.
However, within two years, Meta adjusted this strategy. Company spokesperson Johanna Peace told the media that Meta has suspended the project in order to focus on creating "world-class self-developed hardware and software that promotes the development of the VR market." She also said that the company will still be deeply involved in this field for a long time and will evaluate opportunities for cooperation with third-party equipment after the category further evolves. This means that it is difficult for the outside world to see the launch of head-mounted display products from Lenovo, Asus and other brands based on Horizon OS in the short term.
At the same time, Meta has also seen significant changes in its broader hardware and budget layout. According to information disclosed in an internal memo, Meta has postponed the launch of mixed reality glasses code-named "Phoenix" from the original plan of the second half of 2026 to the first half of 2027, and has started preliminary work on a new generation of Quest headsets. Media previously reported that Meta is evaluating cutting as much as one-third of its "Metaverse"-related budget next year, and a company spokesperson said that Meta is shifting some of its investment from the Metaverse to AI glasses and wearable devices.
From a long-term positioning perspective, Meta originally attempted to play a role similar to Microsoft's in the PC era in the field of VR operating systems, building an open ecosystem involving multiple hardware manufacturers through Horizon OS. The current suspension of the third-party head-mounted display plan highlights the company's realistic considerations in rebalancing the Metaverse and VR business paths under cost pressure, hardware rhythm and AI strategy reordering. For developers and potential hardware partners, this adjustment may narrow the platform selection space in the short term, but it also means that Meta will increase its efforts to polish its own devices and systems in order to stabilize its core position in the VR market amid fierce competition.