Meta is releasing the Quest OS to 3rd parties

[Gamernyc78]

Introducing Our Open Mixed Reality Ecosystem | Meta

We’re opening up the operating system that powers our Meta Quest devices to third-party hardware makers and making it easier for developers to build mixed reality apps that reach a wide audience.

about.fb.com

Meta dropped this news a few hours ago. Meta is allowing other hardware manufacturers to take advantage of core technologies that power their VR hardware. No longer would a hardware vendor have to develope their own method for Inside Out Tracking (IOT), hand tracking, spatial relationship algorithms, etc.. Other VR makers can now skip these steps and pour their investments directly into designing the hardware that they think will allow them to get into the VR market. This can be huge, as it will allow for not only more hardware options, but more consistent targets for developers, on the software side at least.

Meta also leaves the door open for alternative store fronts. While a 3rd party VR manufacturer's headset will allow their potential customers to purchase and run applications from the Quest store, Meta has publicly stated, repeatedly, that they have no intention of locking out other methods of software delivery. In theory, a VR headset can come bundled with an itch.io storefront or a manufacturer ran storefront. I don't see many downsides, to the customer, that come from these developments.

 

[Yurinka]

Opening their OS to other brands, and allowing other storefronts. Seems interesting and a very good idea.

Fun fact: in case you don't know it, Meta's OS for VR that is running in Quest 2 or Quest 3 is a tweaked version of Android. The Quest games made to be run natively, in standalone mode, are Android games: they are an .apk file like the normal Android games you have in your phone or tablet.

Their implementation of hand tracking for VR/MR and room objects detection for MR in Quest 3 is very impressive. The other hardware manufacturers will be able to implement it now on their devices too. Meaning, people who makes game engines and games won't need to make specific implementations for each device.

What does it mean for Sony/PSVR?

It means that if Sony ever does in the future their own Android based PSN store for VR games they would be able to put it on all Meta VR devices. Or if they want (they won't) they can put Meta's OS on their device, maybe as an "Other OS" option. Or that they now can use Meta's spatial or hand recognition implementation for their own device.

It also means now Asus, Lenovo and others will be making their own Quest headsets, so will have more competition in the VR hardware front (but in the standalone/MR subsegment, which isn't exactly where Sony is focused).