How the Metaverse could change the way we work.
How the Metaverse could change the way we work.
Hello and welcome to MadeMeThink! Once a week I send out this newsletter with curated content, events and examples that have sparked my interest. It's a review of my last 7-days in Web3, NFTs and the Metaverse. Want to follow my thoughts on a daily basis? Then connect with me via Linkedin and Twitter. This article is also available in German.
A lot has happened since my last newsletter. Especially the Meta Connect Keynote (check it out here) this week I was looking forward to. In this keynote, Marc Zuckerberg introduced the new Meta Quest Pro mixed reality glasses. While the budget version when it comes to VR glasses, the Meta Quest 2, is priced at 449.99 euros, the Meta Quest Pro is priced as the premium version for 1,799.99 euros, in the States it is available for 1499.99 dollars. The Meta Quest Pro will begin shipping on October 25. Check out the introduction of the Meta Quest Pro here. In this article, I have outlined the impact that the Meta Quest Pro (and the other technologies presented) could have on our working environment and how it could possibly change the way we work. In addition, I have linked selected highlights of the Meta Connect in such a way that the YouTube video will start at the right place when you play it, have fun :)
The use cases made possible by the Meta Quest Pro are strongly oriented toward the workplace. This didn't surprise me, as Marc Zuckerberg already set the direction for the new devices in a conference call in the first quarter of this year.
Meta Quest Pro „… will be more focused on work use cases and eventually replacing your laptop or work setup” (Meta Q1 2022 Result Conference Call)
The idea that the Meta Quest Pro and its successors will replace the laptop is quite exciting to me. Personally, I can imagine that happening. As soon as the glasses can display text sufficiently sharp, I would also use this setup myself. I have already tested it with the Oculus Quest 2, but processing emails and the like is still rather exhausting with the Quest 2. I'm curious whether the Meta Quest Pro brings a significant improvement here. If so, I would prefer this work setup over physical screens. As soon as I get my hands on the Quest Pro, I'll test it out and report back to you. A Metaverse work setup in the home office could look like this in the future, for example.
While reading texts with the Quest 2 is still demanding, meetings already work smoothly. Bill Gates assumes that these Metaverse meetings will be standard in a few years.
„Within the next two or three years, I predict most virtual meetings will move from 2D (…) to the metaverse, a 3D space with digital avatars (…) One of the biggest improvements over what we use now is the use of spatial audio, where speech sounds like it’s actually coming from the direction of the person talking.“ (Source)
With my WalletFrens.xyz Co-Founder, I have regular meetings in Horizon Workrooms. It looks something like this (watch as video)
In such Metaverse meetings, people without VR goggles can also participate via laptop. In hybrid settings, the setting could look like this (see video).
The Meta Connect 2022 keynote was really worth watching. Some exciting technologies were presented that will have a big impact on the way we communicate and collaborate with each other. A big leap in the adoption of these metaverse settings will come through photorealistic avatars. Check out Meta's introduction of photorealistic codec avatars here. These avatars are easy to create with a smartphone and look very realistic. The Meta Quest Pro has inward-facing sensors that capture facial expressions, track eye movements, and then apply them to the photorealistic avatar.
In my opinion, teamwork is going to be one of the really big use cases in the Metaverse. I see many startups and innovative companies moving in the direction of "remote first" and these technologies enable significantly improved collaboration between distributed teams. I just gave a presentation on this topic to HR managers at a company a few weeks ago. In my opinion, HR managers in particular should explore the topic of Metaverse. For employer brands, there are opportunities for differentiation here. The shortage of talent can also be significantly reduced by using these technologies in combination with a remote-first approach.
My hypothesis is that the combination of companies transitioning to remote first, high-resolution mixed reality glasses as a laptop replacement, photorealistic avatars and practical, new hybrid work settings in the Metaverse could be a turning point in the way we work (together) and radically change over the next decade.
Disclaimer: The thoughts published in this publication are my personal opinions and should not be viewed as investment advice. I am not a financial expert. My specialty is entrepreneurship, innovation & marketing. Readers should always do their own research. I own various cryptocurrencies and NFTs, however in many cases it is for the sake of researching the field and gaining a deeper understanding of Web3, NFTs and the Metaverse and not for investment purposes.