Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Mark Zuckerberg wants to make 'Android' for virtual reality (VR) devices. Meta reportedly partners with Microsoft, Lenovo and Asus to provide operating systems for their devices.

Meta is the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The smart glasses device made by Meta is named Quest and uses the Horizon operating system.

Partnerships with Microsoft, Lenovo, and Asus will position Meta like Google in the HP industry. The Horizon operating system will be used by headsets from these brands and will run the same software. Android made by Google is also provided free of charge to cellphone manufacturers around the world.

Meta's breakthrough will split the VR industry into two different camps. Last January, Apple released a VR device for US$ 3,500 called the Apple Vision Pro which uses its own operating system called visionOS.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg admitted that this step would create a similar situation with the market smartphones for VR devices. If it's on the market smartphones there is a battle between iOS and Android, in the VR market Horizon will fight with visionOS in attracting consumers and developers.

The price of VR devices is currently relatively expensive with a closed ecosystem. Meta's move could encourage other electronics companies to produce cheaper devices using the Meta operating system.

“In every era of computing, there are always closed and open models. At HP, Apple was successful with a closed model. HP is tightly controlled, they limit what they allow you to do. This doesn't have to be done this way,” said Zuckerberg.

Meta has often complained about various restrictions implemented by Apple via the App Store. Zuckerberg said that the development of a new generation of devices using VR and AR technology would open up opportunities for Meta to open its own application store.

“Our goal is to make smart devices an open model industry again through the metaverse, glasses and headsets,” said Zuckerbeg.

[Gambas:Video CNBC]

(dem/dem)