Meta has put its program on hold that would allow other hardware companies to license its VR operating system so they could create their own headsets. This information comes from a report by Road to VR. The program was announced in April 2024, when Meta stated that it would license its Quest OS headset, which it also renamed to Horizon OS, to manufacturers like Lenovo and Asus. In a blog post back then, Meta emphasized that the initiative aimed to give “more choice to consumers and a larger ecosystem for developers to build for.” CEO Mark Zuckerberg mentioned in a video that “our goal is to make it so that the open model defines the next generation of computing, again with the metaverse, glasses, and headsets.”
However, Meta has now decided to pause the program to concentrate on its in-house products. Meta spokesperson Johanna Peace told The Verge, “We have paused the program to focus on building the world-class first-party hardware and software needed to advance the VR market. We’re committed to this for the long term and will revisit opportunities for 3rd-party device partnerships as the category evolves.”
In addition, Meta has postponed the launch of its mixed reality glasses, codenamed “Phoenix,” from the second half of 2026 to the first half of 2027. The company is also starting development on a new Quest device, as reported by Business Insider. It appears that Meta is considering cutting up to one-third of its metaverse budget for next year, with a spokesperson indicating that the company is “shifting some of our investment from Metaverse toward A.I. glasses and wearables.”
