Facebook officially changed its name to Meta for the sake of developing the metaverse. What this means for the company and ordinary users
Zuckerberg wants to build a world like in dystopian books / Фото: Getty Images, REUTERS
As the company’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg pointed out during the Facebook Connect 2021 conference, the word Meta is of Greek origin and means “outside.” Outside the real world, one might assume.
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Zuckerberg outlined plans to open up a new generation of the Internet known as the “metaverse,” including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and digital infrastructure supported by decentralized technologies such as cryptocurrency, blockchain and others. But what does this mean?
Facebook / Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg / Photo: REUTERS
FACEBOOK WILL NOT BE MORE?
Yes, but no. The actual Facebook website and mobile app will continue to exist as a social network. However, Meta will cover all other objects owned by Meta such as Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Facebook. Meta also takes over the virtual reality brand Oculus.
WHAT IS THE METUVERSE?
This is a relatively new term that became popular after the release of the science fiction novel “Avalanche” by Neil Stevenson. In this book, people live in a dystopian world in which they have exchanged the real world for the virtual one.
In an interview, Mark Zuckerberg stated that he believes the metaverse is the future of the Internet. If today we communicate with other Internet users through smartphones, tablets or computers, then Zuckerberg envisions the future as a world in which we interact with three-dimensional avatars of ourselves.
Sounds like the plot of another popular novel, Ready Player One, recently filmed by Steven Spielberg. In the book and film, people communicate in the virtual world of OASIS, where you can work, study and even start a family.
HOW DOES META PLAN TO CREATE ITS VIRTUAL WORLD?
Meta is building a platform called Horizon, a mix of Minecraft and Roblox with a built-in collaboration tool. Both services are sandbox games with the ability to build anything.
During the conference, Meta announced a new virtual and augmented reality headset called Project Cambria. Thanks to the built-in sensors, the headset will read the user’s emotions and transmit them to the avatar.
In addition, Meta is developing AR glasses called Nazare. Zuckerberg believes they will gain the same popularity as smartphones. Nazare will look like regular glasses, but with the ability to display digital overlays in the real world.
There will also be a single unifying account alongside separate Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram accounts. This means that no Facebook registration is required to enter the metaverse.
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