Facebook recently rebranded to “Meta”, updating its logo to an infinite loop in a move that will see the company shift focus from social media to the metaverse.
Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO also disclosed that, unlike previous times which have seen users peer through small screens, Meta is focused on bringing a virtual experience parallel to real-world experiences to its users.
“In this future, you will be able to teleport instantly as a hologram to be at the office without a commute, at a concert with friends, or in your parent’s living room to catch up,” he said.
However, whereas Mark’s decision may have sparked a lot of excitement for a majority of his brand users, his approach to making this 3D experience reality is already facing a backlash from a section of netizens.
“VR headsets? No thank you”
The most startling revelation by Mark is that users will be required to put on “augmented reality glasses” to enjoy 3D experiences in the metaverse.
Through Oculus, a 3D VR headset manufacturing company acquired by Facebook in 2014, Mark disclosed that they were working on an experience dubbed ”Project Nazareth” which is Meta’s name for its first full augmented reality glasses.
“We have to fit hologram displays, projectors, batteries, radios, custom silicon chips, cameras speakers, sensors to map the world around you and more into glasses that are about five millimeters thick,” he noted.
Insider’s CEO Henry Blodget however does not buy into Mark’s idea of bringing VR experience to the Metaverse. He believes that VR headsets are quite outdated to current netizens and too much of a burden to bear.
The main problem with today’s big Metaverse vision is the idea that normal people will spend a lot of time wearing VR goggles. They won’t. They’re hot and uncomfortable and give you a headache. (In “Neuromancer,” Case got neural implants. He didn’t wear colossal goggles). https://t.co/RUrS1fika5
— Henry Blodget (@hblodget) November 12, 2021
“The main problem with today’s big Metaverse vision is the idea that normal people will spend a lot of time wearing VR goggles,” he says before adding, “They won’t. They’re hot and uncomfortable and give you a headache.”
Wall Street Journal’s Joanna Stern is also perplexed about people babbling about Marks’s idea of the Metaverse after 24 hours in a VR headset. She “does not recommend” VR headsets from her adventure, arguing that they are too big and uncomfortable.
Kim Dotcom who also finds VR headsets baffling shares a video by “Chief Visionary Officer” Zack Mossbergsson mocking Zukerberg’s Meta’s introductory video series. “Today I want to talk about how to connect our world without being super weird,” he jokes, “Some said an open-world experience this immersive wasn’t possible. But it’s already here. And you don’t even need silly VR headsets.”
Iceland just trolled Mark Zuckerberg and his Metaverse in the most genius way. Love it
https://t.co/VVufL6orI9
— Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) November 12, 2021
Bottomline
Meta has been projected to spend at least $10 billion this year on building its metaverse division as competition from big tech companies including Microsoft intensifies.
With a considerable number of netizens downvoting wearables in the Metaverse, the company that builds a seamless experience for users could be the only one poised to lead this new experience, according to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.
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