🧵🫤Thread 1/6: @SomniumSpace have recently received a trademark violation notice from @OpenXR demading we pay $45,000 to say our Somnium VR1 headset is "OpenXR compatible." This is from an organization that claims to champion open standards for the XR industry. Let's talk⬇️
🧵2/6 Somnium is one of the few hardware companies that has built our own feature-rich OpenXR runtime for SomniumVR1 headset. We're actively working to make VR more open & accessible. We're doing exactly what Khronos says they want. Yet they're demanding $45k/year to say so🤷
🧵3/6: Let's be clear: OpenXR is marketed as a "royalty-free, open standard." You CAN implement it for free. But you CANNOT tell your customers you've implemented it without paying this massive recurring fee. How is this helping the XR industry? How is it not gatekeeping?
🧵4/6: We're a hardware startup fighting to make VR better. $45,000 per year is not a small amount, it's a significant barrier that only large corporations can easily absorb. This policy actively punishes the innovators and small companies that this industry desperately needs🫤
🧵5/6: Khronos claims to want a thriving, open XR ecosystem. But charging hardware startups $45k/year is the opposite of that mission. It stifles innovation, reduces competition, and hurts the very market we all care about and want to support. It is a significant amount for us.
🧵6/6: We are in a process of removing few "OpenXR" logos from our materials to comply with trademark policy. I fully akcnowledge and applaud the work OpenXR does but something needs to change. Being helpful and supportive is something XR companies like ours would very much
UPD: We are in contact with Khronos team, and I believe we will find a constructive solution. 🤝
@ASychov @SomniumSpace @OpenXR Bad look for Kronos, they are normally better than this Hopefully you can get in touch with someone and come to a mutually beneficial solution to the issue They've done a great deal for the industry as well and would hate to see this tarnish things
@josh_garrett_kc @SomniumSpace @OpenXR We are already in touch and I believe everything is going to be OK
@ASychov @SomniumSpace @OpenXR Everyone wants to gatekeep and then act so surprised that ecosystem sux ... well, hoping it would work out for you
@ENiKS_CZ @SomniumSpace @OpenXR It will
@ASychov @SomniumSpace @OpenXR Kinda ironic that, just a couple weeks ago, they reposted one of your posts regarding OpenXR software on the Somnium VR1
@LupisYoung @SomniumSpace @OpenXR Yep... 🤷
@ASychov @SomniumSpace @OpenXR this is actually insane. are khronos going to start asking us for 45k/yr to say we support glTF next?
@AshConnell @SomniumSpace @OpenXR Good question
@ASychov @SomniumSpace @OpenXR Wait whaaaat??? It's supposed to be the good guys right?!
@ASychov @SomniumSpace @OpenXR https://www.khronos.org/ is the official website. Maybe phishing/extortion attempt by impersonators?
@motorsep @SomniumSpace @OpenXR Nope, legit. I am in contact with them already.
@ASychov @SomniumSpace @OpenXR wild
@ASychov @SomniumSpace @OpenXR This is so wrong
@ASychov @SomniumSpace @OpenXR That is nuts.
@ASychov @SomniumSpace @OpenXR What in the world?! Seriously
@ASychov @SomniumSpace @OpenXR It should be tiered to company or product revenue. Like it's fair enough that they have a fee to validate the headset and need to be funded but it should be attainable to all levels.
@ASychov @SomniumSpace @OpenXR They have bills to pay.