Meta released an XR UI kit for Unity, which some Quest developers have been requesting for years.
When developing for other operating systems like Windows, Mac, iOS, and regular Android, developers have access to high-level UI frameworks that let them build interfaces that feel cohesive with the operating system.
But until recently, the only way to build XR apps for Meta's headsets was with a game engine, such as Unity or Unreal, and Meta didn't provide any kind of UI framework for either. This is why many apps on your iPhone use the system design language, while every app on Quest, even the most basic experiences, the UI feels completely different, often custom-made by the developer or imported from the Unity Asset Store.
Meta has finally released a solution to this. It's called the Horizon OS UI Set, part of v69 of the Meta XR Interaction SDK for Unity, and provides Unity developers with the components to build interfaces that feel cohesive with Horizon OS.
Because it's part of the Meta XR Interaction SDK, these components come already set up for both direct touch and indirect pinch interactions from both Touch controllers and hand tracking.
Horizon OS UI Set probably won't be the UI framework of choice for game developers, or some app developers building cross-platform experiences who want a consistent and custom feel. But for simple utility apps, essentially from solo developers, it could allow for significantly less time spent on interface development, leaving more time for building the immersive experience itself.
Developers aren't limited to the exact style of Horizon OS, though. Horizon OS UI Set allows for easy customization of colors and fonts to match an app's brand. And since this is Unity, more experienced developers could tweak the components however they like.
Horizon OS UI Set comes with v69 of the Meta XR Interaction SDK for Unity, and developers can find documentation on it here.
Anyone can try a test build using Horizon OS UI Set, and the other features of the Interaction SDK, in the Interaction SDK Samples app on the Horizon Store.
Horizon OS UI Set is also available for Figma, allowing designers to mock up their XR interfaces in advance.
