Meta Spatial SDK vs Android XR OS: The XR Development Showdown

The XR ecosystem is heating up. On one side, Meta’s Spatial SDK/Horizon OS is redefining how developers build for Quest devices without heavy game engines. On the other, Google’s Android XR OS—backed by Samsung and Qualcomm—is positioning itself as the open standard for spatial computing. Both platforms promise to democratize XR development, but their approaches reveal two distinct philosophies.

🟣 Meta Spatial SDK / Horizon OS

Meta’s Spatial SDK lets developers use Android-native tools (Kotlin, Android Studio, libraries) to build XR apps directly for Quest devices.

• Core Features: Spatial Anchors, Shared Spaces, Passthrough Camera, Horizon OS UI components, MR Utility Kit

• Gestures: Pinch, swipe, tap, full hand tracking

• AI Features: Context-aware UI, AI-driven spatial understanding, adaptive MR blending

• Best For: Developers already in Meta’s ecosystem, seeking engine-free XR workflows

  
  

🔗 Developer resources:

• Meta Spatial SDK Samples (GitHub)

• Meta Horizon OS Developer Resources

• UploadVR overview of Meta Spatial SDK

🟢 Android XR OS

Google’s Android XR OS is the spatial computing OS powering Samsung Galaxy XR and Project Aura AI glasses.

• Core Features: Cross-platform XR development, Snapdragon Spaces integration, immersive productivity, entertainment/gaming

• Gestures: Pinch, grab, swipe, trackpad input, hybrid hand + controller APIs

• AI Features: AI glasses (Project Aura), multimodal input (voice + gesture), AI-driven spatial computing

• Best For: Developers seeking open ecosystems, enterprise XR, and AI-enhanced experiences

🔗 Developer resources:

• Android XR official developer page

• Android XR SDK Developer Preview blog

• Framesixty Android XR Development Guide

Feature Area	Meta Spatial SDK / Horizon OS	Android XR OS
Core Capabilities	Spatial Anchors, Shared Spaces, Passthrough, Horizon UI	Cross-platform XR, Snapdragon Spaces, Productivity, Gaming
Gestures	Pinch, swipe, tap, full hand tracking	Pinch, grab, swipe, trackpad, hybrid input
AI Features	Context-aware UI, AI spatial anchors, MR Utility Kit	AI glasses, multimodal input, AI-driven spatial computing
Ecosystem Fit	Meta Quest devices, Horizon OS	Samsung Galaxy XR, Project Aura, open Android XR