Last April, Meta unveiled its plan to extend Horizon OS, its operating system exclusively for Quest devices, to be compatible with third-party headsets. The tech world buzzed with anticipation as names like ASUS, Lenovo, and Xbox were mentioned as possible collaborators. Yet, since that announcement, Meta has been rather silent on the progress. Recently, however, a familiar name in the world of leaks, ‘Luna,’ hinted that ASUS might just beat others to the start line.
Luna has built a reputation for revealing details about upcoming virtual reality hardware and software before they hit the market. Previously, Luna was spot-on about projects like the Quest 3S, before it was officially announced, and even hinted at the inclusion of an Action Button on the headset.
Through diligent datamining, Luna has consistently been one step ahead. Whether it was unveiling a room-scanning setup for Quest 3 prior to its 2023 launch or divulging various software features for Quest before their official announcements. For instance, Luna was ahead of the curve when Meta was experimenting with pinning apps to the Universal Menu dock.
Drawing information from a mysterious yet reliable inside source, Luna recently shared that the Asus Republic of Gamers headset could be among the premiere devices to feature the third-party Horizon OS. Allegedly dubbed ‘Tarius,’ Luna suggests that this headset will be packed with advanced features such as eye-tracking and face-tracking, aligning it technologically with the Quest Pro’s cutting-edge capabilities. It’s also expected to offer quantum dot LCD displays with local dimming, or possibly even micro-OLED versions.
If these leaks hold water, ASUS isn’t just crafting a Quest 3S lookalike with flashy RBG lighting. Instead, they’re stepping up to offer something that diverges from Quest’s typical consumer-friendly line-up, which currently includes the $500 Quest 3 (512GB) and the $300 Quest 3S (128GB).
While it’s wise to maintain a bit of skepticism until official announcements are made, it’s apparent that Meta is strategizing to counter Google’s introduction of Android XR. This new rival platform is slated to premiere with Samsung’s pending XR headset, known internally as Project Moohan, expected to hit the market later this year.
