Key masterminds of technological advancement have always put in a lot of work on the evolution of technology, and it is not by luck that the unimaginable heights of tech capabilities are just about to grace the world. When Mark Zuckerberg spoke to the world in 2021 about Metaverse, he described it as the unimaginable future of the internet. Ever since the introduction of Metaverse, experts have come up with all sorts of definitions and speculations pertaining to the real meaning and future of Metaverse. Here, we shall discuss Metaverse, some of the expectations, and how it will benefit consumers around the world.
What the Metaverse is
It is easier to understand the Metaverse as a complex combination of technological breakthroughs such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and other forms of equally next-level technologies forming a complex digital environment. The Metaverse will revolutionize the business space, impacting collaboration and conferencing among other areas. Things like holograms will no longer be a thing only seen in movies. Not only will the technology impact the corporate space, but also the day-to-day livelihoods of people. For example, instead of viewing your friend on a screen, you would both go inside a virtual environment and interact there.
Zuckerberg explained that the key components of Metaverse will start to enter the mainstream in about 5 to 10 years. But a tangible example of a key component that already exists is the VR headsets, pointing a direction that excites everyone. Also, ultra-fast broadband speeds have already been realized, even though they are not available for everyone.
What the Tech Industry Wants It to Be
Tech-based proponents of the Metaverse envision the Metaverse as a rollout that will gear up the emergence of cutting-edge and unimaginable tech capabilities. Tech companies want the Metaverse to be the key to ambient computing, where computers command every aspect of life and almost every product can utilize a screen to sophisticate its usability. The companies envision a world whereby people can interrelate with computers with simple gestures and thoughts, yet achieve optimal accuracy. But these heights can only materialize if the giants first sophisticate the technology that will pave way for the Metaverse itself.
Facebook, being a top driver of the Metaverse dream, has come up with an AR wrist-based system that will pick up sensors from the nerves when gestures are made and transform them into accurate digital commands. Tech companies appreciate the fact that the Metaverse will call for a corresponding revolution of electrical components, and that is why they are experimenting with various introductions, like AR glasses.
What It Is Likely to Be
Factually speaking, at least we know that Metaverse will leverage technologies like AR, VR, ultra-fast speeds, and specialized architecture to deliver its promise to the world. The technologies and hardware being innovated will impact personal lives as well as the enterprise space. Melanie Subin, a director in the Future Today Institute, told the New York Post that she believes a significant section of the population will utilize the Metaverse in some way by 2030. In fact, by the next ten to 15 years experts project the Metaverse will be an industry riding in trillions.
Even as the giants all work to remain at the top as far as Metaverse goes, it is still unclear if they will settle for one huge Metaverse or every company will come up with its own. But for sure the Metaverse will be immersive and will revolutionize the meaning of life across the world. We cannot underestimate the words of the person who introduced Metaverse to us, claiming that one day we will live in the Metaverse and forget about the real world.
How It Will Impact Users
The ultimate goal for the Metaverse is to impact not only the corporate space but also many other areas of the day-to-day life. Some key areas that it is set to impact include:
- Social media presence
- Online shopping experience
- Property purchase and ownership
- Entertainment
- Travel
- Gaming
Imagine a scenario whereby you report to a virtual working office and interact with colleagues as though you were in a traditional physical office. And during the weekend, you do not have to physically go to a club but can attend one virtually. Such is the kind of lifestyle the Metaverse will facilitate. On that note, Facebook has already brought the Horizon Workrooms, a virtual meeting software that work with oculus VR headsets. In this line, the Metaverse is already taking tangible shape.
The Near Future of Metaverse
Metaverse will take years and billions of dollars to mature, but it is the smaller milestones that will eventually culminate into the dream that the industry giants envision. As much as the good stuff about Metaverse all sound futuristic, there are things you can actually do in 2022. One of the areas that is already revolutionizing under Metaverse is the gaming industry.
Microsoft is on course to acquire Activision Blizzard, the company behind huge games like Call of Duty, and the goal is to combine Activision Blizzard’s capabilities with the already existing Microsoft HoloLens to continue contributing to the Metaverse. We are also seeing companies start to hire many creators to use evolving technology in driving Metaverse forward. For instance, Facebook reported it would hire about 10,000 experts in Europe. With similar spirit, Amazon is capitalizing on hardware that will be needed to run the Metaverse. As part of advancing its already existing AR View, the company is expected to launch eyeglass frames that are AR-enabled and can be controlled by voice, among other products.
Essentially, the Metaverse is bringing together existing technologies like mobile devices, computers, and AR glasses. In fact, big companies like Meta, Sony, and Apple are already planning to bring to the picture a new wave of VR mixed reality headsets in the coming months. The future looks very promising, but only time will tell.
The Metaverse, in its entire capacity, will be a digital presence that will impact and redefine everything from how we live, work, play, and connect with each other. A lot is expected to roll out in the coming years, and experts predict that the highest potential of the Metaverse is yet to be imagined. Guided by the big players, Meta, Google, Apple, Amazon among others, the best we can do is embrace the mainstream adoption of Metaverse as the ultimate imagination continues to unfold.