Meta has made it clear that it aims to be the “Android of XR.” But here’s a twist: Android XR wants the same crown.
Beyond the typical tech debates over specs and features, one critical element will likely determine whether Meta can withstand the heat from Google and Apple in the XR arena: the so-called flat apps.
While flat apps like Spotify, TikTok, Snapchat, and Discord might not initially seem like the show-stoppers for headsets, Vision Pro (which includes a vast library of flat iPadOS apps) has already showcased how much value comes from blending the XR experience with apps we’re already fond of. They’ve essentially paved the way by eliminating the need to disconnect from our beloved apps when donning a headset. Following this approach, Android XR is also expanding its repertoire by supporting all current Android apps found on the Play Store.
Meta may be doing well in the gaming segment with its headsets, but the truth is that XR’s horizons stretch far beyond just gaming.
Consider a company with a narrow focus on gaming, say Nintendo. It’s unlikely to reach the heights of a giant like Microsoft, which is busy constructing a much broader computing platform. Microsoft towers over Nintendo in value, worth a whopping 43 times more, despite not just being limited to computing platforms. The parallel is obvious, even if it’s not a perfect analogy.
Now, let’s look at the two competing XR platforms involving Meta and Google:
– Meta’s Horizon OS boasts the most extensive and robust library of immersive apps.
– Google’s Android XR, on the other hand, takes pride in hosting the most extensive and high-quality collection of flat apps.
For either to truly conquer the XR space, they need to harness what the other has. The burning question is, who’s facing the bigger hurdle?
It appears that Meta might be up against steeper odds.
Immersive app developers are on the lookout for expansion. If a popular game can capture a 25% larger audience by hopping over to Android XR, the choice is straightforward.
On the flip side, big-name flat apps such as Spotify and TikTok have less to gain from jumping onto Horizon OS. They’d be lucky to see even a 0.25% bump over their vast Android userbase.
You might think, “Horizon OS runs on Android, so isn’t porting a breeze?” Technically speaking, yes — the software transition might be relatively smooth. However, maintaining and supporting huge apps with massive user bases and frequent updates is where the real, ongoing commitment lies.
This scenario gives Google a leg up in wooing essential immersive apps to Android XR, whereas Meta might struggle to entice critical flat apps to Horizon OS. Without an ample selection of flat apps, Meta’s headsets run the risk of being pigeonholed as immersive gaming devices, rather than being recognized as all-encompassing computing tools.
That’s certainly not the destination Meta had in mind. A decade ago, Meta ventured into XR precisely to seize control of what they envisioned as the “next computing platform” before Apple or Google could stake their claims.
You might argue that flat apps aren’t vital for the XR experience, but if a platform can offer both essential flat apps and immersive ones, it stands a better chance against a platform that can only provide one or the other.
Even if Meta continues to push out superior hardware — say, headsets that are consistently 20% faster, lighter, and cheaper than Android XR’s — I’m skeptical that this alone will matter in the long haul unless they can ensure those core flat apps grace their platform.
This represents a crucial challenge for Meta’s XR ambitions, with no straightforward answers in sight.
