As we all know, this pandemic has caused a lot of inconvenience to our lives. Now, let's step into the futuristic world of technology. I think many of you have heard the term Metaverse. You might have many questions about this new concept: What is the Metaverse? What is this new technology? What changes will it bring in the coming future?
What is the Metaverse?
The Metaverse is a virtual world created and connected through technological means, mapping and interacting with the real world. It will encompass everything we do in daily life, such as consuming, selling, working, and learning. It's not a new service but a new way of experiencing existing things.
With the Metaverse, we are shifting from watching the 2D world of the internet to living in a 3D world.
~ Dave Waters
2021 was the first year of the Metaverse. On October 28, US social media giant Facebook announced its rebranding to Meta, shifting its focus to the future goal of creating the Metaverse. On December 21, Baidu released its first domestic Metaverse product, "Xirang," which officially opened for internal testing. The Metaverse quickly became a hot topic. The development of haptic gloves, brainwave-reading wristbands, VR devices/services/products, blockchain (Web 3.0), and NFTs also contributes to the possibility of the Metaverse becoming the next big thing in digitization.
What is it currently?
- Hardware products are being developed to enable interaction between humans and virtual objects.
- NFTs are used as transferable goods.
- Blockchain is used to track the existence of virtual items and ownership in transactions.
What should it be?
A virtual world where we can travel with friends and family. A place where we can switch from work mode to party mode without even leaving the couch in the real world. A place that feels real, even allowing us to feel and touch what we want.
What impact will it have?
Weddings
With the Metaverse, friends attending a wedding can come from anywhere in the world. This is already happening. Due to the impact and restrictions of the pandemic, a couple from India decided to hold a Harry Potter-themed virtual wedding on February 6.
Education
Although online courses exist now, interaction remains a problem, and offline courses come with venue costs. The current solution? Schools in the Metaverse (some companies are working on this).
Entertainment
Companies like Wave are already experimenting with digital concerts, where people from all over the world can enjoy them. You can also have a virtual private cinema and invite friends to watch any movie together.
Business
Redefining remote work: people can meet, interact, roam around virtual offices, and hold meetings.
What should we be aware of?
Few would disagree that the Metaverse is the future, but that doesn't mean it's perfect.
A major concern is privacy. In today's world, data is extremely valuable. Living in a virtual world means revealing a lot of personal information online, so protecting individual privacy is crucial.
Summary
This article introduced the basics of the Metaverse, discussed its future, and its potential issues. Current applications of the Metaverse are mainly in gaming, entertainment, and corporate work. In the future, as Metaverse technology and industry maturity continue to improve, its application scope will gradually expand and deepen. How much impact the Metaverse will have on our lives—let's wait and see!