That makes Google’s Android XR – on the first headset to use it at least – the most open of the three major standalone XR platforms by far. Apple’s visionOS doesn’t allow sideloading at all, except for developers compiling their own app from Xcode on their Mac for testing purposes. Meanwhile, sideloading on Meta’s Horizon OS requires registering as a developer, which involves providing Meta either your phone number or payment card details for verification. And even then, you need to connect an external device like a PC to your Quest to start sideloading.
On Meta, you can sideload without an external device, well after getting set up with an external device, if I remember correctly.
I can download apks directly through the web browser and then install in the headset. You can also do it through the SideQuest app installed directly to the headset when they have apps/games available to be sideloaded from the app, itself.
I did have to sign up as a developer which sucks.
And Meta has somewhat blocked access to some…ahem “borrowed” apps I have installed. XR Fitness was one of them. I got a message saying something like I’m not authorized to use this under my account or whatever. Can’t remember the exact message, just remembering getting an error message when trying to play it and never tried again.
Granted, I do it to demo apps I’m curious in because $30 off the bat is crazy expensive even with a good refund policy. I know how companies view customers who do a ton of refunds and some of these games are legit not worth the money or time.