What next for organisations looking to exploit the metaverse?

Hype cycles

As hype cycles go, the metaverse has been on a rapid journey over the last year or two. From being a relatively unknown term, to one of rapid increase in search and use as we look to understand what it is and how it can be used.

Through the sheer variety of definitions, stakeholders and discussion, it’s clear that a single, joined up metaverse that is a ubiquitous part of our day to day lives is still a few years away. Despite this, many organisations are building pathways to the metaverse now.

Apple’s Vision Pro

Apple has just launched its long awaited and hotly tipped new Vision Pro mixed reality headset. Enthusiasts are hailing the launch of a lightweight headset with native apps and exclusive content, with content controlled using intuitive hand and arm gestures.

Partnering with the likes of Disney and National Geographic, this perhaps gives an indication of the consumer market Apple is chasing with the headset, although the price point of USD$3,499 may be off putting to some.

And the organisation must surely be hoping that built in native apps like Teams and Word, alongside the launch of a dedicated app store for Vision Pro will drive sales and adoption of the hardware, as the app store did for iPhone since it launched in 2008.

Apple refers to the Vision Pro as welcoming an era of spatial computing. At the time of launch, the dedicated Vision Pro page on Apple’s website makes no reference to the metaverse. Spatial computing of course reinforces the integration of other Apple products, the primary example being spatial audio enabled by Apple Music and AirPods.

The goals of the metaverse and spatial computing sound familiar: blending physical and digital, putting users in control of their experience and data, immersive experiences and unlocking new value. Whilst it remains to be seen if the Vision Pro will accelerate widespread and mainstream adoption of mixed reality headsets and experiences, its marketing and physical launches have certainly generated a great deal of interest.

Looking forwards

When talking to our clients about metaverse environments and devices which can be used to access them, we help organisations understand what it all means, how value can be unlocked using the technologies and the practical next steps which we can take now to prepare for the next generation of the internet.

There remains much to work out in terms of the long term predicted ubiquitous metaverse interoperability, standards and governance. In the meantime, device releases like the Vision Pro and ever-changing customer and employee demands mean that organisations should be prepared. Practical use cases such as training, collaboration and immersive experiences in the metaverse could be good places to start, build, test, learn and scale.

How can we help

Get in touch if you’d like to find out more about how we can help your organisation unlock value in the metaverse. Our experience is global, from using building block technologies such as digital twin and augmented reality, to building the metaverse for COP27. Our experience can help.