Zuckerberg has metaverse rivals who mean business

The metaverse will become the main focus of many prominent consumer technologies, which include former CEOs wielding bulky cellphones or scientists sharing research on Tim Berners-Lees newfangled world wide Web. Moreover, Microsoft rather than chief proponent Meta Platforms will be in pole position.

The metaverse relates to a more immersive version of the Internet, such as tapping on a virtual-reality headset, meeting friends at an entirely digital theater, and watching a movie together. At the same time, Epic Games, and Mark Zuckerbergs Meta formerly Facebook are among its cheerleaders.

However, the metaverse is uncertain to many people as existing video games like those available on the Roblox platform are already part of it. The next step, VR headsets, are very expensive, not to mention heavy: Metas Quest 2 costs $300 and weighs half a kilogram. Further, subtler augmented-reality glasses are still nascent.

There’s a few advantages to virtual experience and Eventbrite’s sales plunge by two-thirds in 2020, despite the number of events on its platform dropping by only 2%.

Companies, by contrast, look a more significant target. Covid-19 has started cutting boundaries again, and finance professionals are looking to using Metas Horizon Workrooms software for VR meetings. But despite Microsoft boss Satya Nadella beingnt thumping the tub like Zuckerberg, that kind of customer is the software giant’s domain.

Microsoft’s ability to catch up is evident when Slack Technologies comes together to build “the Nth floor,” a virtual office the consultancy’s staff can beam into, enabling users to build a standing start in 2016.

If this is the future you want to see, I hope youll join us,” Zuckerberg said. At least at first, his enthusiasm may be much more valuable than it may be his own business. List23