Since  Facebook was rebranded as Meta, the new name has been a hot topic of discussion. The term ‘metaverse’ combines the worlds ‘meta’ and ‘universe’. The idea of the centralized virtual world, a space parallel to the physical world. The metaverse is the social connection (internet) evolution that provides 3D virtual reality space. It allows people to go further than the computer screen. Both the current and the future virtual productivity platforms seem to be growing faster than ever. The evolvement of the internet is expected to see the rise of virtual integrated environments. The 3D spaces will let people learn, socialize, collaborate and play in ways that are beyond the imagination. Now, virtual and augmented reality is transformed into an entirely different level.

From desktop to web to mobile; text to photos and video, Metaverse is the next version of the internet. The metaverse is a largely scaled and interoperable network of 3D virtual worlds that can be experienced persistently by an unlimited number of users with an individual sense of presence and with continuity of data (objects, communications, payments, etc). The metaverse isn’t just a single digital space but a number of digital spaces and experiences. Today, many social media and tech companies are heavily investing in Social VR to offer more realistic and immersive digital experiences. The range of potential functionality enables better collaboration and integration to work productivity platforms. Such as, this allows real estate agents to host virtual home tours. 

The metaverse is the future of social connection. It will allow people to socialize, learn, unite which goes beyond what’s possible today. Such as, when we are in a video call, it feels like we are right there with them no matter how far they actually are.  Also, users can enter a huge virtual shopping mall, purchase digital items and later sell the same digital items in a completely different virtual world.  It facilitates us to express ourselves in immersive ways that will unlock new experiences. In the vision for the metaverse articulated by tech companies and social media, the devices like virtual reality digital glasses, headsets, smartphones, etc will access users to an augmented reality environment where they can conduct business, visit remote locations, connect with people, access educational opportunities. This will create a shift in things as simple as how people shop for groceries, interact with businesses and ads as a consumer, navigate through the city, tour an apartment.  All these experiences in immersive ways are mediated by metaverse. 

In 2021, Facebook immensely invested in creating metaverse experiences. The metaverse is expected to remodel the tech sector and will possibly be the future for social connection, entertainment, education, commerce. With the production of architectures, software, hardware, the metaverse is a collective project created by people all over the world, and open to everyone.  However, meta’s vision seems too speculative as it relies on technologies and server capacity that does not exist currently. The widespread adoption of virtual reality hardware is required. Nevertheless, new technologies are being developed that will help people to connect and explore in the metaverse.