Google and Pico Embrace OpenXR as the Industry Standard, Leaving One Major Company Yet to Join

When it comes to creating a seamless bridge between XR software and headsets, OpenXR is leading the charge. This open standard is swiftly becoming the linchpin of the XR industry, and Google, one of tech’s titans, has jumped on board from the get-go. In this endeavor, they join an impressive roster of industry giants such as Meta and Microsoft. Now, ByteDance has also thrown its hat in the ring, reinforcing OpenXR’s stature not only as an open standard but as a solid industry fixture. Yet, even as most key players champion OpenXR, there’s one major company that isn’t budging: Apple.

The concept of OpenXR came to light back in 2017, designed with a straightforward mission—to allow developers to build XR applications that work smoothly across various headsets, demanding minimal tweaks. Big names like Meta, Microsoft, Valve, and HTC have embraced this standard, but Apple remains the notable exception, marching to the beat of its own drum as is often its way. Apple has a reputation for foregoing industry norms, sometimes opting to go its own route with proprietary formats, though occasionally it ends up adopting those same industry standards down the line.

Vision Pro, for instance, exemplifies this pattern by not supporting OpenXR. It also lacks built-in support for motion-tracked controllers, which is a staple feature for most XR content. If Vision Pro were compatible with OpenXR, the workload for developers bringing XR applications to the headset would be greatly reduced—although the absence of controllers continues to be a significant obstacle.

In stark contrast, Google hasn’t missed a beat, eagerly embracing OpenXR for its freshly revealed Android XR platform. This move simplifies the task for developers aiming to tailor content initially crafted for devices like the Quest. Google advocates that Android XR is already tuned for OpenXR 1.1. Additionally, they’ve introduced ‘vendor extensions’—innovative enhancements that broaden what OpenXR can accomplish on certain devices. Often, such extensions eventually become integral to newer OpenXR versions.

Recently, Pico, ByteDance’s XR branch, declared its runtime is now in sync with OpenXR 1.1 on the Pico 4 Ultra. They plan to extend this support to the Pico 4 and Neo 3 ahead of mid-2025. Pico is also actively pushing boundaries, bringing forward proposals that could redefine the way multiple XR applications operate together in a shared environment. They are lobbying the OpenXR working group—the guiding body that shapes the evolution of the standard—to embrace this visionary framework.

With the backing of Google and Pico, OpenXR has indeed cemented its place as a true industry standard, even if Apple’s participation seems an unlikely prospect.