• Meta has announced that it is opening up its operating system for Quest devices to third-party hardware makers.
• Moving forward Horizon OS will be leveraged by the likes of Lenovo, ASUS, and Xbox.
• The company is also working to make it easier to port mobile application over to Horizon OS.

It looks like Meta (formerly Facebook) still has not given up on its plans to be the company within the metaverse, as it has this week announced an expansion of the operating system that powers many of the mixed reality experiences on the Quest headsets.

More specifically the company has begun licensing its Horizon OS to the likes of Lenovo and Asus, with the third-party hardware makers now given the ability to craft new devices or experiences that would be empowered by the Quest headset and the newly developed ecosystem.

“We’re working with leading global technology companies to bring this new ecosystem to life and making it even easier for developers to build apps and reach their audiences on the platform,” Meta noted in a blog post.

“This new hardware ecosystem will run on Meta Horizon OS, the mixed reality operating system that powers our Meta Quest headsets. We chose this name to reflect our vision of a computing platform built around people and connection—and the shared social fabric that makes this possible. Meta Horizon OS combines the core technologies powering today’s mixed reality experiences with a suite of features that put social presence at the center of the platform,” it added.

Looking a bit closer at what Lenovo and ASUS will be working on, the former will be developing, “mixed reality devices for productivity, learning, and entertainment,” while the latter, “will use its expertise as a leader in gaming solutions to develop an all-new performance gaming headset.”

Those are not the only big names that Meta has brought onboard, with Xbox also getting in on the act. To that end, the pair are, “working together again to create a limited-edition Meta Quest, inspired by Xbox.”

At the time of writing, it remains to be seen when these new devices under development will reach consumers interested in mixed reality, but its clear Meta wants to be the backbone on which these experiences are built.

“As we begin opening Meta Horizon OS to more device makers, we’re also expanding the ways app developers can reach their audiences. We’re beginning the process of removing the barriers between the Meta Horizon Store and App Lab, which lets any developer who meets basic technical and content requirements ship software on the platform,” the company continued.

“Consumers and developers alike stand to benefit the most from an ecosystem where multiple hardware makers build on a common platform. Our partners are excited to begin this journey with us,” it enthusiastically concluded.