What you need to know
- Meta has reportedly paused its plan to let third-party companies ship headsets powered by Horizon OS, putting ASUS and Lenovo devices on hold.
- The company is said to be pivoting to focus exclusively on its own first-party hardware (the Quest line) to ensure the software foundation is solid before expanding.
- Reports suggest Meta’s next big mixed-reality headset may not arrive until 2027, raising the stakes for getting the software right.
Meta is reportedly stepping back from a major change in its XR strategy. According to Road to VR, the company has paused plans to let other manufacturers release headsets using Horizon OS, which puts upcoming devices from partners like ASUS and Lenovo on hold.
In 2024, Meta renamed its software to Horizon OS to show it was no longer just for Quest headsets. The goal was to make Horizon OS a common platform for virtual and mixed reality devices, allowing other companies to create their own hardware and use Meta’s apps, tools, and developer community.
ASUS was said to be developing a gaming headset focused on performance, while Lenovo was looking into mixed-reality hardware for both work and entertainment. These projects were meant to show that Horizon OS could work on more than just Meta’s own devices.
ASUS and Lenovo are left hanging
That plan is now said to be on ice. Meta has confirmed to Road to VR that the third-party Horizon OS program is paused, with no clear timeline for when or if it will resume.
Meta says it wants to concentrate on delivering “world-class first-party hardware and software” before expanding Horizon OS to outside manufacturers. In November, the company also reshuffled its metaverse efforts into two divisions, one focused on Horizon OS and another on the Metaverse Product Group.
Creating an XR operating system involves more than just adding software to different headsets. Horizon OS is closely connected to Meta’s hardware design, sensor setup, tracking systems, and performance goals.
Supporting devices from other companies means dealing with many different hardware options, which can make it harder to optimize, support developers, and provide updates over time. By stepping back, Meta is likely trying to avoid the fragmentation issues that have caused problems for other platforms before.
A recent report suggests Meta’s own next major mixed-reality headset may not arrive until 2027, putting extra pressure on the company to get its software foundation right.
Competitive pressure
Meanwhile, competition is growing. Apple is promoting its tightly controlled Vision Pro system, while Google is laying the groundwork for Android XR. In that context, Meta may see more value in refining Horizon OS internally before letting partners ship devices that define the platform’s early reputation.
For ASUS and Lenovo, the pause means their work is unfinished and their plans are now uncertain. Their Horizon OS headsets are not officially canceled, but they are no longer moving ahead as expected.
If you were looking forward to seeing non-Meta headsets with Horizon OS soon, that won’t happen. For now, Horizon OS will stay closely linked to Meta’s own Quest devices.
