At the company’s Connect event on Thursday, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the social media platform’s new name will be Meta.
This however does not translate to the app changing it’s name to Meta. The names of the apps — Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp—will remain the same.
“We are a company that builds technology to connect,” Zuckerberg said. “Together, we can finally put people at the center of our technology. And together, we can unlock a massively bigger creator economy.”
“The metaverse is the next evolution of social connection. Our company’s vision is to help bring the metaverse to life, so we are changing our name to reflect our commitment to this future.” the company says on it’s website.
The term “metaverse” refers to online shared virtual world environments that individuals can access.
The phrase can apply to digital settings that have been enhanced with virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR).
Some people also use the term metaverse to refer to virtual worlds in which players can roam around and interact with other players.
During the 2021 keynote, Mark Zuckerberg said the company is developing exciting new technologies that will help people connect and explore in the metaverse.
The metaverse will be brought to reality in three ways;
Virtual reality
Virtual reality allows you to go to other worlds and share experiences with others. Even if you live far apart, Quest allows you to share new experiences with friends and family.
Augmented reality
AR enhances shared experiences with amusing virtual effects at the touch of a screen, allowing you to express yourself with the people that matter the most.
Smart Glasses
Smart glasses, for example, will serve as portals into the metaverse, allowing you to interact with the environment around you. The first step in this path is smart glasses, which allow you to record audio and video with only a touch.
The rebrand is part of the firm’s efforts to move away from being known solely as a social network company and instead focus on Zuckerberg’s metaverse goals.
