“This post is not sponsored by Meta, but if they want to, feel free to DM me on Instagram !”
What is the Metaverse all about? In short, I watched the 1h17min video so you don’t have to, by reading the below, you’ll understand how the Metaverse was explained in the launch video from its current state to the company’s projection. One thing they want to make sure you know is that it is more than a brand name but a whole new world of possibilities!
2 months ago, Marc Zuckerberg (M.Z.) and his surroundings made this huge announcement. They wanted to let us know that Facebook Inc. wasn’t their end goal, it was just the beginning of how they envision social interactions on the web and or social media networks. For the next step in the company, they had to forgo the name “Facebook” and embrace “Meta Platforms Inc.” (this information was obtained from a quick google search) which would focus more on an immersion experience for the users. In a bit more than an hour-long video, Meta presented what it was all about and their future vision, all this hosted by Marc itself!
PS: Before starting, they wanted to make sure that we know that anything discuss is just a visualization of the future – aka nothing is real, readers beware.
After welcoming us to connect – some sort of keynote space in what seems to be a virtual reality living room – M.Z. proceeds to explain what he perceives to be the metaverse in a quick simple phrase: “An embodied internet where you are in the experience and not just looking at it “.The intro sets the tone to let us know that the metaverse means that now all of us will be able to have the headset experience without even being gamers.
If you still can’t picture where this is going, let me help you. For the last decades, the technology industry has been growing at an exponential rate. Discovery after discovery, new gadget after new gadget. We are slowly getting into the era whereby the time you think of something, it already exists – if we are not there already… What Facebook is trying to sell us right now is the concept of virtual reality that most gamers are already familiar with. With the help of a headset, you get immersed in a different world. I would describe it as 3D technology but on steroids.
So, with that in mind, let’s get back to the Metaverse Keynote. Split into various sections, each part describes further the integration of the virtual world in some day-to-day activities.
You’ll be able to create your own space and avatar, just like The Sims but this time you have one person and everything you own, you’ll be able to have it authenticated. Once you have an avatar, you’ll be able to organize game nights with your friends – which was demonstrated, it seems to be a preview of a platform they call “Horizon” – think Virtual reality (VR) version of Facebook and Facetime together.
If you’re an artist, the metaverse seems to have a lot to offer to your imagination, the meta envision having real-life street arts that can be augmented in virtual reality – An artistic version of QR Codes? But wait, there’s more, if you want to express your art, you will be able to create your own “space” which is a little part of the world (the virtual one).
For Gamers, I think you already know more than I do about metaverse but to put it simply for Mr and Mrs, everyone, think Kinect meets Oculus, which results in sensors and a headset that will allow you to be in the game when playing it and sense your location and movements. I foresee a LOT of space will be needed in the leaving room.
Workout avid? Meta got you – Like literally, I don’t think there is one thing we won’t be able to do just with a headset and a fake (virtual reality) world. Fitness platforms are getting into the VR world and Meta is there to embrace them. M.Z. takes the time to point out the fresh and new on the fitness VR realm such as Supernatural adding a new Boxing line, New Fitness rooms from Fit XR, etc. From seeing how people embraced the Peloton bike, I have a feeling that this will be a huge sensation.
Moving on to another sort of work – brain work, they begin by presenting how you’ll be able to share your work and facetime in a matter that will feel more 3D. As someone who is in the construction engineering world, I could see how useful seeing a 3D of the project you working on could be, especially if, you can walk the corridors of a new school or visit a future station platform – just imagine!!! I also see the incredible amount of coding and integration work behind, which could be labour-intensive, will the old school companies buy into this and see the future as a good opportunity to strike it rich or another scheme they have no time for due to a poor ROI (don’t know this word, google it)?
That’s not it, one of the most exciting things the Metaverse would like to offer has to be the education setting. We all know that there are different styles of learning, but the one that does stick is integrative learning, where you get to learn by doing and seeing. The possibilities seem endless, you’ll be able to visit the most outstanding monuments by just being there, explore the solar system as if you were seeing it in outer space. The geek in me can foresee days on this immersive google, especially if I can build my lab and become the virtual world version of Marc Rober but without the budget – Haha!
There is no world without business and Meta knows it, that’s why the eCommerce platform has a lot to offer. Think shopping mall but the virtual world, so for almost a fraction of the cost, sellers/business owners can create their own “space” where they will be able to display their services and product just as they picture it in their mind – think: EXPERIENCE. In the Keynote, we were able to get the FORVR mood experience with lifestyle business owner Jackie Aina where we get transported to Jackie’s beautiful world – it was so inviting I wanted to buy her candles asap!
To close it up, they present us with an insight into their research lab with what they call a Presence Platform, which is the interaction space, where I imagine you’d be able to calibrate and develop your avatars and your world from how you move in your apartments to the details of your facial pores. This topic would need to be a whole other article but keep in mind that they are working very hard to make it easy for developers and creators to work on the metaverse and make sure that the user’s experience is as real life as it possibly can be.
In the next few years, we will see many technology gadgets, sensors, etc. that will help us immerse in the virtual reality world. After the usual gamers VR headset we’ve seen, they also reintroduce us to a new slimmer VR technology: The Ray-Ban sunglass technology. Sunglasses that will allow you to snap a picture of what you are seeing and more. Should I buy it and review it for you guys? Let me know in the section below!
Part of the goodbyes included a closing speech from M.Z stressing to us how they take the privacy of the people seriously and how to do that they are working hand to hand with the government and lawyers to make sure once in this century, the legal system is not trailing behind the web exponential growth.
My personal view on this: VR has been upon us for a while now but Facebook (Now Meta) took the head starts on extending it to the regular Joe’s. The presentation was very long to tell us about a virtual world. On the other hand, this could have a major impact on our future, we can look at the metaverse presentation as “Throwing ish at the wall to see what sticks and in the end, something always sticks, it’s just a matter of getting people engaged… This year, I will be monitoring the metaverse progress. Hopefully, you can come along on this journey!
What’s your personal view on it ? Where do you see this going? Let me know in the section below!
On that note,
Josie Escapes….
