Android XR Poses a Critical Challenge That Could Define Meta’s XR Future

Meta has openly declared its ambition to become “the Android of XR.” Interestingly, another contender is vying for the same title: Android XR itself.

Putting specs and features aside, the real game-changer in this showdown among Meta, Google, and Apple in the XR arena boils down to one thing: flat apps.

Flat apps like Spotify, TikTok, Snapchat, and Discord might not seem like the most thrilling reason to put on a headset. However, Apple’s Vision Pro has demonstrated the substantial value of integrating the familiar apps we love into the XR experience, as opposed to shutting them out when using a headset. Android XR is now taking a similar path by ensuring compatibility with all Android apps available on the Play Store.

While Meta’s headsets have carved a niche in the gaming world, it’s evident that XR’s potential stretches well beyond just gaming.

A company sticking solely to gaming, like Nintendo, will never reach the magnitude of a broader computing platform builder like Microsoft. This difference in focus reflects why Microsoft’s market value dwarfs Nintendo’s by a factor of 43. Although this comparison isn’t entirely apples-to-apples—given Microsoft’s diverse business ventures—it clearly illustrates the point.

In the XR race, Meta’s Horizon OS stands out with the richest library of immersive apps, while Google’s Android XR boasts the most extensive collection of flat apps.

For either to lead, they need what the other excels in. But which one faces the steeper climb?

Meta, arguably, has a tougher battle ahead.

Developers of immersive apps are constantly seeking growth. If porting a successful game to Android XR promises a 25% increase in users, the choice is a no-brainer.

Conversely, mainstay flat apps such as Spotify, TikTok, Snapchat, and Discord are unlikely to see significant user growth from Horizon OS compatibility. Realistically, they’d be fortunate to bump their user base by a mere 0.25% beyond their existing Android audience.

The thought might cross your mind—given Horizon OS’s Android foundations, shouldn’t porting be a breeze? While the technicalities may indeed be straightforward, the challenge lies in the continuous support and maintenance, an ongoing commitment not to be underestimated for apps with vast user populations and frequent updates.

Thus, Google is strategically positioned to woo crucial immersive apps to Android XR more effectively than Meta can entice essential flat apps to Horizon OS. Without a robust lineup of flat apps, Meta’s headset risks being pigeonholed as just an immersive gaming console rather than a multipurpose computing device.

And that’s certainly not where Meta intends to find itself. The very motivation behind Meta’s foray into XR a decade ago was to establish dominance over this emerging computing platform—outpacing Apple and Google.

Whether or not you view flat apps as integral to XR, it’s undeniable that a platform offering both significant flat and immersive apps will eventually rise above one that lacks one side of this equation.

Even if Meta crafts superior hardware—say headsets that are consistently 20% faster, lighter, and more affordable than Android XR equivalents—this advantage might not count for much in the long run if it doesn’t secure those essential flat apps on its platform.

This represents a critical risk to Meta’s XR aspirations, one that doesn’t present any obvious solution.