The social network giant is reportedly working on developing its own operating system.
A new Facebook OS is currently in development, according to a report from The Information. Should this operating system be successful, it could help the social network firm to step away from its dependence on Google and Android.
The operating system is reportedly in development to support its movements in virtual reality.
At the moment the company doesn’t have its own virtual reality Facebook OS. Therefore, its Oculus VR headsets and Portal smart displays operate on an altered Android version. With its own VR operating system, it would no longer need to depend on technology created by its top rival.
As of yet, details of precisely what the operating system would entail and how it would be used. That said, many have speculated that this would be a core component of the future of the company’s VR headsets and smart speakers. Moreover, it would also be possible to use this tech as a foundation for the company’s augmented reality glasses. Facebook’s AR glasses are predicted to launch in 2023. Moreover, the operating system may also be usable for third party hardware.
The report indicated that the Facebook OS would take a comparable approach to Apple’s iOS.
The idea is that by creating this operating system, it would be possible for Facebook to use it in a similar way to how Apple approaches its hardware. Many technology analysts predict that this type of move could place the company in a better track toward success.
This is not the first time reports have indicated that Facebook would be developing its own operating system. In 2013, the social network giant developed a custom OS prototype that would power an HTC smartphone. However, as far as this effort went, when all was said and done, it returned to Google to produce a modified version of Android. It has continued to use that technology since that time.
However, if the Facebook OS turns out to be close to Apple’s closed ecosystem strategy – 
which places the social media giant in the driver’s seat for both hardware and software – it would control the full user experience.
