While everyone's understanding of the basics of the metaverse are different, there are a few factors that are commonly known. By looking at these aspects, it's possible to gain a clearer understanding of what people can expect from this new advance in technology.
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Breaking Down the Metaverse
It's important to recognize that the metaverse doesn't refer to one unique technology. Instead, it's akin to the phrase "cyberspace" in that it's a word used to describe how we use technology collectively. It involves the use of internet technology, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), GPS technology, and dozens of other digital services. Even though you can use VR and AR devices, the metaverse will be just as accessible to users via their desktop or laptop computers.
The goal for the metaverse is a world in which you can take something you created on one platform and carry it over to another platform. For example, you can take an avatar you created on a video game platform and use it on all of your social media accounts. Any data associated with that avatar would also be instantly transferable. Eventually, commodities would also be transferable in the same way.
What Would You Do in the Metaverse?
If you have ever played a video game, you already know what it's like to design an avatar. You'll get to choose everything from your gender to your outfit before choosing a username and entering the metaverse. You'll likely be dropped off in some type of public square, such as Genesis Plaza in Decentraland. The area will be crowded with other users starting off in the same place and communicating with one another. This gives you an opportunity to make new friends in a digital environment before you begin exploring the rest of the metaverse.
You'll be able to visit stores, play games, or go dancing with the option of experiencing these environments in AR or VR. Anything you can do online today will be available to you in the metaverse, but you'll get to experience those activities in a fully immersible environment.
How Will the Metaverse Affect Commerce?
As remote work grows in popularity and more opportunities to work from home are created, business will begin to use VR and AR technology to conduct meetings in the metaverse. This allows for more effective meetings since body language is as important to effective communication as speech. Meeting in the metaverse will allow people to express themselves more efficiently.
Businesses will also use the technology to create virtual stores in the metaverse. Your avatar will be able to link to your financial data to help you buy real products from stores in the metaverse. Video gaming and casino gaming businesses will also take advantage of the technology to bring in new players. Instead of going to a gaming website outside of the platform, you'll find a casino or arcade right in the metaverse for greater convenience.
The Metaverse Will Change Life in Several Ways
While it will be fun to explore the virtual world of the metaverse, there will be more to it than shopping and gaming. Once smart technology is integrated into the metaverse, people will be able to visit their doctors in a virtual setting. If you have trouble getting to your doctor's brick and mortar office, you can consult a specialist in the metaverse. They will review the biometric data you submit digitally and consult with you in a private virtual examination room.
People can also travel to see other countries and cultures, test some commercial products before buying them, or attend virtual schools to further their education. Eventually, there will be little that you can do in the real world that you won't be able to do in the metaverse.
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Some Kinks Still Need to Be Worked Out
While the promise of the metaverse is exciting, there are still some tech issues that need to be worked out. One consideration is the availability of strong internet connections in rural areas. People in those areas may lack the connectivity needed to fully enjoy the metaverse, so progress will have to be made to bring more connectivity options to people in remote locations.
Additionally, many people will lack the resources to bring metaverse tools, such as virtual reality sets, into their homes. This may limit the number of people who can fully immerse themselves into the metaverse. While realizing the full potential of the metaverse is still several years away, other issues to be resolved include cybercrime, cyber bullying, and online censorship. It's likely that those issues and others will have to be resolved as the metaverse unfolds and evolves.
As we get closer to realizing the potential of the metaverse, more people will take an interest in becoming a part of it. This will make the metaverse a better tool for connecting and communicating with others. In addition to helping people interact socially, it will also become a better tool for commerce. Essentially, it may replace more traditional social networking tools in just a few short years.
