Meta Removes Horizon Workrooms Collaboration Features

Following the deletion of Oculus account data, Meta has now removed several features from its virtual meeting room tool Horizon: Workrooms in a proclaimed effort to provide a “more streamlined and reliable experience.” At the same time, Meta optimised the platform’s user experience.

As of March 30th, Meta removed Horizon Workrooms features, including functions such as interactive whiteboards, custom posters logos/environments/layouts, chat files/links, and tracked keyboards. Moreover, Meta has also removed all user data related to these features.

On the other hand, it appears the Meta may be trying to breed new life into its Workrooms platform, following a lull in interest in its Metaverse ambitions on the whole – as seen during Meta’s last Connect event whereby CEO Mark Zuckerberg only mentioned Horizon: Worlds in passing; assuring the platform is being developed in the background.

Meta Connect 2024 will come up quickly as the year continues. The Menlo Park-based firm is most likely actively working on its immersive software and hardware and is ready for a big announcement. The firm also works with big industry partners like LG to develop more products.

New optimisations to Workrooms could highlight how Meta is developing its Metaverse platform, which is ready for a big showing later in the year. Workrooms users can now experience upgraded features such as a new environment, improved meeting management options, better screen sharing, and optimised virtual screens.

Meta has not announced further updates to its broader Horizon Worlds platform. However, the firm may follow suit, optimising the Quest ecosystem as it signs new significant partnerships in 2024.

Meta completes its transition away from Oculus Branding

Just days before Meta updated Workrooms, the firms deleted all Oculus user data on March 28th.

Meta’s move means that Quest users can no longer log into their XR device with an Oculus account. Reports at the time stated, “if your Oculus account is deleted, you will no longer be able to use Meta Quest with your Oculus account, and you won’t be able to reactivate or retrieve anything from the account,” Meta also noted that Oculus account users can migrate their data via Meta’s website.

Meta is expanding its enterprise XR services and removing the need for Oculus log-ins and data. The Meta Quest for Business service offers companies a range of XR hardware, software, and management tools to help their employees get started with immersive technology.

The premium additions to Meta’s enterprise service enable end-users to skip sign-in requirements, simplifying the onboarding process. This move by Meta signifies the end of Oculus, officially rebranded as Meta in 2021, with all Oculus products and technology now falling under the Meta banner alongside the company’s social media portfolio.

All Systems are Meta

Now, all systems are Meta. Recent partnerships during a paradigm shift in the industry may highlight how Meta looks towards the future as a hardware provider.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg met with LG CEO William Cho and Park Hyoung-sei, the President of the Home Entertainment Company, last month to discuss future collaborations on XR devices, marking the start of a strategic partnership between LG and Meta’s technology portfolios.

The move looks to drive XR device and customer experience innovations by building a technology ecosystem by combining LG’s TV division services with Meta’s XR portfolio. LG will present the benefits of its smart device OS to work alongside Meta’s AI systems to create a competitive XR device; currently, LG’s smart OS is worth roughly $750.5 million from app revenue, therefore potentially providing a valuable source of income and services for Meta’s XR hardware ecosystem.