Meta Bites the Apple
Someone on Meta's PR team deserves a big bonus with the announcement of Meta Horizon OS today.
Why does PR get the win?
Simple... this is definition press release driven development. If I had to guess, when Apple was ready to launch the Vision Pro back in February and word got out that YouTube and Netflix were absent, some VP sent another VP a message and it finally got back to the VP of PR and they said:
Now is our f*&^#&@ chance to crush Apple, how fast can you get commitments from some big names like Netflix, YouTube, Sony, Valve saying that they are development partners for our new OS?
PR person: "Give me a few days."
PR person, a few days later:
Alright, I got ASUS, Lenovo and Xbox... is that good enough?
VP (thinking)
Those will do.
Then, it's all a mad scramble to actually sign some deals and get money changing hands ie: my guess is that Meta is paying Asus, Lenovo and Microsoft to build / prototype or at very least say they are building for this new platform.
All of this, I wager, to say F-You to Apple.
This is the key section in the article
Along with a more open app store, Meta Horizon OS will continue to give people more choice in how to access apps. Because we don’t restrict users to titles from our own app store, there are multiple ways to access great content on Meta Horizon OS, including popular gaming services like Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, or through Steam Link or our Air Link system for wirelessly streaming PC software to headsets.
Apple is being dragged through the mud for exactly the opposite stance that Meta is taking here. This is spatial war, and Meta is likely going to win if Apple doesn't correct it's course.
Don't get me wrong, I love this announcement. I use my Quest 2 several times a week and am a big beleiver that the future of work and meetings is in VR. I am really just applauding how very little was actually said in this announcement and in order to put this together it's actually quite simple from a PR / DB side. What's more, now every developer, including myself who read this today is questioning downloading that 10.5GB version of XCode that doesn't have AI built into it, that will require Apple's approval or... I could buy the Quest 3 and know that Meta is moving to a more open future.
Honestly, kudos to Mark Zuckerberg. These are high IQ moves and it could really hurt Apple if Meta wins the hearts and minds of developers.
What Apple needs to do... tomorrow
Hopefully someone at Apple has thought of this, but if not, here goes.
They need to drive to Netflix HQ, get down on their knees and beg them to build the best movie experience on the Vision Pro.
They then need to drive to YouTube HQ, get down on their knees and beg them to build the best video experience on the Vision Pro.
They then need to drive to Steven Spielberg's office and beg him to make a movie using the Vision Pro's unique camera system.
They then need to drive to Capcom / Hideo Kojima's house and beg for them to make exclusive AAA games, not game for the Vision Pro.
Basically, Apple needs to remember that without the other people making amazing shit for their devices, their devices aren't as cool, and no matter how rich Apple is, they can't beat the free market and creativity that individuals can come up with in a decentralized way.
Apple needs to remember that devs are what drives their business, and partnerships like the one with Google in the early days of the iPhone made the product what it is today.
Apple needs to make more deals and less software.
