“Seek and you get it,
Imagine and you make it ”
-Ritu Lavania
Metaverse has literally been on everyone’s lips for quite a long time now! And in view of all the hoo-ha that has been around Metaverse, it’s only a dead cert that it soon became a new galaxy of possibilities to explore for big tech companies.
The exciting Metaverse technology has been driving everyone curious, (especially the Big Tech Companies) but let’s first understand what encapsulates this rather unchartered territory.
What is Metaverse?
The term metaverse was the reiteration of William Gibson’s “cyberspace” from his 1984 Neuromancer. However, it was in 1992, that the sci-fi writer Neal Stephenson coined the term ‘metaverse’ to describe a 3D virtual space in his dystopian cyberpunk novel ‘Snow Crash’.
The idea is – we will experience this virtual world (which is an immersive extension of the current internet) with an avatar and thus, be a part of it. This immersive internet would also be a channel for catering to our virtual needs through the virtual economy. The idea of Metaverse has become more of a storm for everyone be it the big tech companies or crypto nerds!
Also read: Why is metaverse on everyone’s lips?
Best defined by famous journalist Matthew Ball, “the metaverse is an immensely scaled and interoperable network of real-time rendered 3D virtual worlds which can be experienced synchronously and persistently by an effectively unlimited number of users with an individual sense of presence, and with continuity of data, such as identity, history, entitlements, objects, communications, and payments.”
Big Tech Companies Exploring Metaverse
Silicon Valley including the big tech companies could not keep calm about the Metaverse craze and wanted to be a part of this futuristic vision soon. This FOMO was immensely fuelled as the ‘Big Four’ started working its way up to plant its flag on the celestial land of metaverse.
The bustling air of this new concept started pervading different economic sectors so much so, that one by one firms began joining in.
For instance, Walmart filed several new patents aiming to make and sell virtual electronics, toys, sporting goods, and personal care items and thus, making an impressive entrance in the Metaverse following the suit of the big tech companies.
Fashion mogul Ralph Lauren’s CEO commented that metaverse could provide a great avenue to attract younger shoppers. Other fashion houses like Nike, Gap, and Urban Outfitters are jumping on the ‘digital’ bandwagon with their ‘other worldly’ Metaverse ambitions. Disney’s Metaverse would be an extension of its films and streaming service.
Gaming platforms like Roblox and Epic Games’ Fortnite have already curated large followings with their virtual reality stint.
Recently, Refik Anadol’s Studio also launched DATALAND – the world’s very first multi-sensory Metaverse project. Nevertheless, it was the Big Four that sparked up the digital revolution to such a great extent that its spotlight could not be dimmed. Let us find out which firms are gambling big in this game.
1. Facebook Metaverse
It was initially in June of last year, that Facebook clearly announced its plans to become a metaverse firm. Thus, becoming the first one among the big tech companies to dive into Metaverse!
Subsequently, in September, Facebook revealed its mega ‘XR Programs and Research Fund’, a perfect step towards the Metaverse direction. The next thing the world knew, Facebook’s corporate name had changed to Meta !!
The trillion-dollar company has always been enthusiastic about the future of Metaverse. As a part of its venture, Facebook is recruiting the brightest engineering minds in the world, acquiring virtual and augmented reality companies, and is even backing the initiative with its $ 50M funding!
2. Apple Metaverse
Just recently, Apple CEO Tim Cook had affirmed quite optimistically, that ‘the company sees a lot of potential in the metaverse’. No points to guess, this is quite evident with the way the company is speeding up its current AR/VR ventures.
Following this, Tim also added that Apple, like other big tech companies, is investing in the Metaverse space.
During an Apple earnings call, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook confirmed that the company is interested in this development and has already invested its commitment to augmented reality.
Specifically, Cook said that “we’re a company in the business of innovation,” and “we have over 14,000 AR apps in the App Store” when asked about the metaverse. This response has been the general go-to for the CEO when pressed about AR/VR or other items in that realm.
3. Amazon Metaverse
The world’s largest cloud services vendor, multiple media offerings provider and of course, the E-commerce giant Amazon is also betting big in the metaverse.
Meta, the Facebook Metaverse uses its fellow big tech company’s Cloud Technology and broad-ranging functions to augment its existing local infrastructure.
On top of that, Meta will be more reliant on Amazon Cloud Technology’s computing, database, storage and security services to obtain better privacy in the cloud. Thus, securing on its protection, reliability, and scalability.
4. Microsoft Metaverse
Just like these big tech companies, Microsoft too has been on its budding stage when it comes to Metaverse.
For several years, the software giant has developed the HoloLens, a $3,500 headset that shows digital holograms, with a focus on applications for businesses and government agencies. The device is related to augmented reality, which some technologists consider to be part of the future Metaverse.
Not to forget, the firm launched a Mesh cloud collaboration service for virtual 3D business meetings last year, which “can serve as a gateway to the metaverse”.
Elaborating on Metaverse, Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella had said “there is both an outside-in and inside out” and that it’s not just about keeping a computational reality over the top of our real one, but also about putting the real world inside a computer’s domain as well.
5. Google Metaverse
With other big tech companies expressing their love for Metaverse openly, how could Google be left behind?
In an interview, Google CEO Sundar Pichai hinted at the positive prospects of the future where metaverse will take over. He explained that over time, computers will adapt to people and people will adapt to computers, thus making a way for a more immersive, interactive computing experience.
Enunciating on the point, he said that in addition to being a metamorphosed computing experience, ‘metaverse means different things to different people’. The augmented reality and immersive interactive virtual worlds would certainly be laid out in the cosmic stretch of the metaverse.
Pichai also added that the metaverse isn’t confined to any individual firm. Further, he described metaverse as the evolution of the internet itself.
To tell the truth, Google actually stood out as an early player in the metaverse. Well, thanks to ‘Google Glass’, a slim and lightweight pair of glasses with an AR overlay on one side.
6. Nvidia Corp
One of the oldest players to compete with these big tech companies in Metaverse is the Computer chip making firm, Nvidia Corp (NVDA.O).
This big tech company created its Omniverse platform to interlink the 3D worlds into a collaborative virtual universe. Omniverse will be used to build simulations of real-world buildings and factories which will be the premises for building metaverses.
Thus, Omniverse will build photorealistic simulation and collaboration tools for game developers. The platform will further help engineers and designers to create accurate replicas of real-life infrastructures and environments to give a more immersive gaming experience.
Moreover, the platform will enable real-time interactions, streaming services and also sharing of workstations and servers. Omniverse avatars will be made interactive with the help of AI speech, computer vision and natural language processing.
Conclusion
Although these are few big tech companies (or rather big sharks) crashing big splashes in Metaverse, there are many other firms that are taking significant ‘currents’ in this novel technology.
However, the sudden thronging around ‘Metaverse ventures’ does point to the tech revolution that is to come!
While it’s too early to contemplate the comprehensiveness of Metaverse, considering the fact that there’s still a long way to go. However, it certainly is going to be an exciting upgrade of Web2.
Until then, we can only wait for the next breakthrough development in Metaverse.
And in the moment of l-o-n-g waiting, why not subscribe to The Crypto Times, to catch up daily Metaverse updates.
