February 20, 2022
The Metaverse has arrived and promises to change the way we live, work and have fun.
If you have heard the buzz about the Metaverse and you're still not sure what it is, you're not alone. The term has been around since the early 1990s but only recently has evolved from concept to reality.
In simple terms, the Metaverse describes the blurring of the lines between our physical and digital lives.
You've probably already participated in the Metaverse in one form or another. Perhaps you have used a virtual reality (VR) headset. Maybe you have put on augmented reality (AR) glasses to enhance your physical surroundings or have created an avatar to explore virtual social spaces like Roblox.
In coming years, the Metaverse promises to offer even more exciting ways of connecting with each other. Here's how the Metaverse is already changing the way we live and how it may affect things going forward.
The Metaverse at Home
Many of our homes are already equipped with smart tech tools to help keep us safe and make our lives easier. Get inspired to make your home smarter and safer with Cox Homelife and other devices powered by a strong Wifi connection. No one knows for sure how these smart home devices will develop alongside the Metaverse, but it's likely they will become even more integral to our lives as they blend elements of the real and virtual worlds.
Instead of waking up in the morning and talking to a virtual assistant device, for example, you might put on a headset to chat with a hologram that appears at the foot of your bed. When you catch up with your family and friends while wearing a VR headset, you may feel like you're sitting right next to them on the sofa, even though you're miles apart.
The Metaverse also has the potential to enhance emergency assistance for your loved ones — alerting you to a problem and helping you communicate with them when they get hurt.
Ultimately, as people spend more of their day in the Metaverse, they will have the ability to accomplish even more from the comfort of their homes. More shopping will likely move online, with the rise in cryptocurrencies, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and virtual showrooms and marketplaces.
The Metaverse at Work, School
Many of us are already more accustomed to working and learning from home since the pandemic began. The Metaverse will offer opportunities to set up home offices with advanced virtual desktops that will help reduce the clutter of having multiple monitors.
It will also mean new ways to collaborate from a distance. Similar to changes in socializing from home, remote work meetings may become much more immersive with the use of 3-D avatars. As technology advances, the avatars have the potential to mimic participants' real-life body movements and facial expressions in a virtual environment.
Interactive classrooms and learning environments full of students will evolve as well. Children and adults alike will enjoy immersive experiences in faraway lands, rather than just look at pictures in books.
The Metaverse in Gaming, Entertainment
It seems that everyone is gaming these days. Digital gaming parties gained popularity during quarantine, and the industry shows no signs of slowing down. The Metaverse is already changing home entertainment and promises to further enhance the experience through VR and AR. (Check out Cox's guide to improving gaming performance.)
The future looks bright when it comes to spectacular virtual entertainment — the likes of which we can only imagine today. Similar to what's happening with gaming, we can expect a world with more elaborate virtual concerts, carnivals, museums experiences and more — all thanks to the Metaverse.
