The phrase Meta or Metaverse is Facebook’s new corporate name, after a major rebrand. In a statement founder Mark Zuckerberg announced the name change and the belief behind it. So, what exactly is Meta Facebook?
“To reflect who we are and what we hope to build I’m proud to announce our company is now meta” – Mark Zuckerberg, October 2021
Virtual Reality Vs. Metaverse
On the surface, Meta Facebook looks like an extension of VR (Virtual Reality) for example. Where users can interact with each other through a variety of video games and social spaces. Facebook has invested heavily in virtual reality, spending 1.46 billion on acquiring Oculus. It appears that the metaverse will take this into a deeper route. With a vision to create an internet-wide virtual reality space. Not solely focused on video gaming and more space creating on various platforms.
“But the metaverse isn’t just virtual reality. It’s going to be accessible across all of our different computing platforms; VR and AR, but also PC, and also mobile devices and game consoles.” – Zuckerberg on The Verge, July 2021
Metaverse in the Workspace
One of the key uses outside of entertainment is using Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and the like within a working environment.
“The interactions that we have will be a lot richer, they’ll feel real. In the future, instead of just doing this over a phone call, you’ll be able to sit as a hologram on my couch, or I’ll be able to sit as a hologram on your couch, and it’ll actually feel like we’re in the same place, even if we’re in different states or hundreds of miles apart.” – Zuckerberg on The Verge, July 2021
This isn’t the first time we’re seeing workplace applications from Facebook with their communication tool Workplace which launched in 2016. Within it, you had Workrooms. Which created a virtual meeting space you could join in VR or on desktop via video conferencing.
The Future of Facebook
Zuckerberg also discussed the future direction of the company. Segmenting it into two key focus points. App development and future projects. However, this doesn’t leave a lot to go on, app development can come into the form of diversifying their apps away from being Facebook-centred. Hopefully, moving away from the necessity of owning a Facebook account. To be a part of other services owned by Metaverse.
“From now on we’re going to be Metaverse first not Facebook first”
