Where is Facebook in the metaverse?

MARK Zuckerberg introduced Meta, the company's new name, at their annual developer conference. The new name signals their commitment to build the next evolution of social technology — beyond what digital connection makes possible today. His vision of the metaverse as the successor to the mobile internet is "a set of interconnected digital spaces that lets you do things you can't do in the physical world. Importantly, it'll be characterized by social presence, the feeling that you're right there with another person, no matter where in the world you happen to be." Technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are combined in the metaverse to create a sense of "virtual presence."

In 2018, I attended a Facebook event called "Oculus VR Series: Art Immersive" at the Menlo Park. I realized Oculus VR and other VR gadgets could be the platforms of tomorrow. I purchased their Oculus Go, a standalone headset, to explore its potential. During the pandemic, extreme measures in the lockdown pushed me to use the Oculus headset to cope with the boredom. In my column, "Hello Virtual Reality" (May 17, 2020), I explained how I used VR as a tool to boost my mental wellness, enhance my fitness routine and social connections with family members.