It’s easy to downplay the Metaverse as an over-hyped buzzword, but the reality is that the Metaverse is our future, and it will change the way we will experience the world around us, or at least the technologies that power the metaverse will be.
If you don’t believe us, think about how big tech giants like Microsoft and Facebook have formally adopted it as its new prime directive, and how FB even changed its name to Meta in 2021.
The basic idea of the metaverse isn’t complicated. It’s pretty simple. The metaverse is any digital experience that is immersive, three-dimensional (3D), and virtual, as in, not happening in the physical world.
However, it’s impossible to talk about the metaverse without talking about the different “extended realities” (XR) that enable it:
Virtual Reality
Augmented Reality
Mixed Reality
(If you want to dive deeper into the extended realities and find out how they differ, go to this blog post here.)
These realities are changing the way designers create products and user experiences, and a handful of businesses are already shaping the Metaverse landscape.
In many ways, Microsoft Teams or Zoom is already a form of a Metaverse, but VR is on track to transform meetings. Meta’s Horizon Workplace, which can be used with Facebook Messenger, is already being used by early adopters, and Zoom has announced that it will integrate with Horizon’s Workrooms early next year.
We already know that the metaverse is making its mark in fashion, with digital-only clothing gaining traction and AR allowing consumers to try on clothes or experiment with product placement in their home.
Then there’s real estate, interior design, and sales and marketing: This includes realtors giving house tours in VR / AR, and for builders and interior designers to design virtually and allow potential customers to see the finished product before it's even built.
Let’s not forget education. VR and immersive learning is facilitating new ways of learning and teaching in classrooms, as are AR and MR.
The metaverse is the next step of how we will connect, communicate, and interact - and sitting on the sidelines for too long is not going to be a good business option.
Are you ready to join the Metaverse and adopt XR technology into your business goals? Now is the time to get started. Contact us today!
