Why does the Metaverse come into our lives?. The first communications that people had with computers and between people and people over the Internet were text-based. With the advent of social media, profile pictures and photo sharing first entered our lives. With the establishment of Facebook in 2004 and Instagram in 2010, we saw more photo and then more video-based sharing.
Instagram started its life as a photo sharing application and took the inspiration for its logo from there. Today, most of the posts on our platforms are videos. These videos are supported with audio, music, text, GIF, stickers, avatar and augmented reality tools. In 2014, Meta, then known as Facebook, acquired Oculus, a kickstarter initiative, just two years after its founding. Today, 171 million people in the world use virtual reality glasses/sets in some form.
In 2019, Spark AR Studio, owned by Meta, was opened to everyone so they can design Augmented Reality Filters. Today, no matter where you are in the world, you can design and share AR filters via Spark AR. We can give another very simple example through our messaging. While we used to send only text-based SMS, today we can send photos, videos, emojis, GIFs, Stickers, voice recordings, avatars via WhatsApp and Messenger, and we can use augmented reality filters during our video conversations.
This 33-year internet journey shows us that our experiences deepen as technology advances. Our communication, which started with only text-based sharing, has become much more immersive and inclusive today, with advanced technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality democratized and reaching millions. This is mainly because people prefer more satisfying experiences with more content.
In short, we have leveled up in our communications with each other and in our digital experiences, and we continue to do so. As Meta, we are leading this development, as we did in our previous transition to mobile. All of our products are designed to create deeper, richer connections. The purpose of every experience on our platforms is to create connection, from the comment you make under your friend’s photo on your Instagram feed to meeting your distant relative in the same room on Oculus Quest, chatting and socializing.
Next Pages:
Metaverse: So why now?
Metaverse: What awaits us in the future?
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