Meta is temporarily discontinuing its third-party Horizon VR headset software

Meta has “paused” its program to license its virtual reality operating system to other hardware companies so they can build their own headsets using the platform, Meta reported. The road to virtual reality .

With the program announced In April 2024Meta announced that it will license the Quest OS headset — which was also renamed at the same time to Horizon OS — to hardware makers like Lenovo and Asus. In a blog post at the time, Meta said the program would give “more options for consumers and a larger ecosystem for developers to build on.” CEO Mark Zuckerberg said In the video “Our goal is to let the open model define the next generation of computing, once again using the device metaverse, glasses and headsets.”

But now, Meta is pausing the program to focus on first-party offerings instead. “We have paused the program to focus on building the world-class first-party hardware and software needed to advance the VR market,” Meta spokeswoman Joanna Pace said in a statement. Edge. “We are committed to this for the long term and will revisit opportunities for third-party device partnerships as the category evolves.”

Meta recently delayed the launch of its mixed reality headset codenamed “Phoenix” from the second half of 2026 to the first half of 2027 and is beginning work on a new Quest device, according to internal memos. I mentioned before Business insider. The company is said to be looking into the axe Up to a third of its metaverse budget Next year, a spokesperson says, Meta is “shifting some of our investments from the Metaverse into AI glasses and wearables.”