Meta, Facebook's Parent Company, Embarks on a New Strategic Direction to Assert Itself in a Rapidly Changing Virtual Reality Market Against Competitors Like Apple

The company announced that it will make its VR headset operating system, Horizon OS, available to other manufacturers. This move marks a significant opening of the previously rather closed platform and aims to create a broader ecosystem.

"Among the first partners to adopt Horizon OS are renowned technology companies such as Asus, Microsoft, and Lenovo. These collaborations are aimed at developing a variety of products, from gaming headsets to devices that merge digital and physical content. However, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged that the launch of some of these products may still be 'a few years' away."

The decision to open up the operating system comes at a time when Apple has entered the market with its Vision Pro glasses, which are designed to seamlessly integrate digital content into the real environment. Although Meta is already the market leader in the VR glasses sector with its Quest series, a broader breakthrough in the mass market has so far been lacking. With its integrated ecosystem of devices, Apple could have a significant advantage.

Zuckerberg Continues to Emphasize the Importance of an Open System as Opposed to Apple's Closed Model in Smartphones. He Hopes that Horizon OS Can Play a Similar Role in the World of Virtual Reality as Windows in the PC Industry, to Promote a Freer and More Accessible Market.

This strategic move seems to be convincing investors as well: Meta shares gained 1.00 percent in Monday's trading on the NASDAQ, closing at 485.99 US dollars. This suggests that the market is responding positively to the plans for expansion and opening up the ecosystem.