Irish tech companies seek to go beyond the Metaverse

Tech companies in Ireland are now seeking opportunities beyond the metaverse. In 2021, Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg embarked on what many consider the most important pivot in the company’s history. At the Facebook Connect conference, he announced the company’s commitment to his Metaverse vision, which seeks to create a digital world where people can interact and socialize.

Zuckerberg views the Metaverse as the next move for his company and the internet as a whole. The company changed its name to Meta to reflect this new focus, and has already invested billions towards its development. In a podcast in August 2022, Zuckerberg referred to the Metaverse as his “holy grail.”

Despite these ambitious plans, reports have shown that some of Meta’s staff do not fully understand the vision or lack interest in the technology required to achieve it. Additionally, the company’s investment in its Reality Labs division, responsible for developing Metaverse-related technology, resulted in a $13.7 billion loss in 2022.

Critics have also emerged, pointing to the underwhelming design of Meta’s Horizon Worlds game and doubting the feasibility of Zuckerberg’s Metaverse vision. These challenges have led to uncertainty about the future of the Metaverse at Meta.

In a recent post, Zuckerberg announced the layoff of 10,000 employees, but mentioned the word “metaverse” only twice in his 2,202-word message. Instead, he emphasized the importance of Meta’s investment in artificial intelligence. Despite these challenges, Zuckerberg remains committed to the Metaverse vision, stating that it is the future of the internet. Time will tell if Meta can overcome these obstacles and bring his vision to life.

Beyond Zuckerberg’s metaverse 

Speculations are arising that Meta’s shift in priorities may mark the end of the metaverse. CEO of digital reality firm Volograms, Rafa Pagés, expressed his disappointment with Meta’s PR strategy, saying, it was underwhelming.

“I wasn’t a fan of what Mark Zuckerberg did when they changed the name of the company and announced a very far-into-the-future concept of what the metaverse could be. I think that when you do this kind of PR play, it can cause a backlash, and I think it has happened to them.”

Rafa Pages, CEO of Volograms

However, some specialists believe that Meta’s shift has had a positive impact on the sector. Camille Donegan, a virtual reality training specialist, said that the shift has led to an increase in companies exploring immersive technology and the metaverse.

Despite the buzz surrounding Meta’s plans for the metaverse, it’s important to note that the company does not own the concept. The term “metaverse” was first introduced in a 30-year-old science book, and multiple versions of the metaverse can be created, much like different applications and websites.

Meta(multi)verse 

Irish tech companies are exploring immersive technology as the possibilities of augmented reality and virtual reality continue to expand. The Director of Eirmersive, James Corbett, notes that there are many views on how the usage of these technologies. While Meta’s vision of a digital world is still in the future, immersive technology is already a reality for many companies.

According to a report by Eirmersive, 32 Irish companies have begun working in this space, including those in the gaming and health sectors. Major international companies have also used immersive technology, with one pharmaceutical company using it to generate digital audits during the pandemic.

Vologram’s technology functions in the digital world that Zuckerberg envisions, but Rafa Pagés, the CEO of Volograms, believes the growth of the sector will be slow. He thinks the metaverse will be AR-based, with information around us that is 3D and interacts with the real world.

Imvizar, a platform that develops digital experiences for iconic and tourist centers, is of use in Spike Island. Visitors can use their mobile phones to lay 3D animations onto their present location, and the app can also serve as a tour guide. Imvizar is also developing a platform for AR content, which it hopes will become the Netflix of the augmented real world. It is the first and only Irish company to be invited to SXSW.

Headset Hesitancy 

Corbett, who is the founder and CEO of the tech consulting firm, Public Digital, recently spoke about the state of augmented and virtual reality devices in an interview. He explained that while many firms are producing AR and VR devices, they are often too costly, large, and unattractive.

Apple is rumored to be launching its first reality headset in June at WWDC. This could be a significant step towards making advanced reality experiences accessible to everyone. This news comes from James Corbett, who believes that Apple’s entry into space will be crucial to advancing the technology and making it mainstream.

Corbett expresses concerns

Corbett also touched on the challenges of developing technology for outdoor use, which he believes is a critical component of making AR and VR devices truly useful. He noted that people wouldn’t mind wearing these devices at home, but they should be more fashionable and practical for everyday use.

Despite the challenges, Corbett believes that Apple has the potential to make AR and VR technology cool and accessible to everyone, just like the company did with AirPods. He expects Apple’s initial headset to endear experts. However, he anticipates that consumer-based headsets will be available in the future.

“It is not the most advanced AR that you can get on a pair of glasses with hand tracking, which will be released in three years. There’s no point in building something like that because nobody can use it at the minute.”

James Corbett, CEO Public Digital

In addition to Apple, other tech companies like Google, Microsoft, and Sony are also investing in AR and VR technology. Meta, formerly known as Facebook, was also a significant player in the space, but their CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, has reportedly sidelined his metaverse vision. Nevertheless, Corbett believes that Meta will continue to be a significant player in the coming years.

Overall, tech companies believe that there will be more and better uses for AR and VR technology as it continues to develop. Meta users expect a new customer-based version of their Quest headset later this year, and the company continues to attract users to its Horizon world environment.

Terminology termination 

Imvizar CEO Rafa has expressed his frustration with the term “metaverse”. He stated that he is tired of the outdated term and believes it needs to be replaced before it can be fully embraced by consumers. Rafa drew comparisons to the 90s when the term “cyberspace” was popular but eventually became outdated.

While millions of users engage with augmented reality (AR) technology every day, Rafa believes that the technical term “metaverse” is not resonating with consumers. Instead, people refer popular AR platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat as “filters” and “lenses”.

According to Michael, the focus of immersive technology needs to shift from discussing specialized networking specifications to creating “smart” technology that addresses the needs of users. As the use of AR and virtual reality (VR) continues to grow, the industry will need to adopt new language that is more accessible to consumers and accurately represents the technology.

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