The Metaverse is projected to become a trillion-dollar industry, with estimates suggesting it could amass a cumulative value of $1 trillion by 2025. As a result, numerous companies are eager to launch innovative gadgets aimed at capturing a significant market share.

With such a substantial financial incentive, there's a barrage of marketing efforts aimed at promoting various interpretations of the Metaverse. Facebook even rebranded itself as Meta to align itself with this emerging concept.

You might have come across the "Horizon Worlds," a 3D virtual environment designed primarily for children, and questioned the appeal for adults. Similarly, the virtual concerts by artists like Ariana Grande have raised eyebrows.

Many may describe the Metaverse as akin to gaming experiences found in Fortnite or Roblox, leading to speculation that we will soon inhabit a world reminiscent of "Ready Player One."

You've likely heard about creating avatars, utilizing cryptocurrencies, and the ongoing discourse surrounding NFTs. While these elements will indeed play a role in the Metaverse, they will remain a minor aspect for the foreseeable future.

In reality, the Metaverse is set to be a continuous flow of information that enriches and enhances your everyday experiences. It will blend augmented reality with virtual reality, ensuring that vital information is always accessible when you need it. This will allow you to check in on distant locations effortlessly.

The Metaverse will enable a sense of presence that allows you to engage with information pertaining to any location as if you were physically there.

#1 The Metaverse Doesn't Require Constant Headset Use

One concern about the Metaverse may stem from the cumbersome nature of current headsets. It's understandable; even with my second headset, they remain heavy, uncomfortable, and straining on the eyes.

At present, headsets have limited applications, primarily suited for indoor settings and gaming. Despite the popularity of devices like the Oculus Quest, their ownership is still confined to a small group of early adopters.

For the immersive 3D Metaverse to truly become mainstream, we will need to create an experience as accessible as a Star Trek holodeck.

As long as we depend on headsets and virtual reality devices for realistic Metaverse experiences, augmented reality will likely become the version most people engage with.

Numerous companies are launching products that enhance production and manufacturing processes. For instance, smart glasses are being developed to improve efficiency, while holographic technology aims to elevate experiences at conferences and meetings.

The enterprise sector is poised to be the first to embrace many elements of the Metaverse, and this is quite logical. For example, creating a digital twin of a new building and testing its aesthetics and functionality in VR could save companies substantial resources.

Smart glasses, such as Ray-Ban Stories or Snap Spectacles AR, might not deliver the immersive experience of a VR headset, but their practicality in real-world situations is far greater. Their lighter weight and usability make them ideal for various recreational purposes.

Imagine being on holiday and streaming information about the city you're exploring directly to your smart glasses. You could receive navigation directions to your hotel, instant reviews of nearby restaurants, or even an audio guide while visiting a museum.

This level of utility far surpasses merely browsing Facebook in 3D.

#2 Save Time and Money on Travel

The pandemic has illustrated that many business trips are not only environmentally detrimental but often unnecessary. While face-to-face interactions cannot be entirely replaced by virtual meetings, the Metaverse can save significant time and costs.

Meetings in the Metaverse are already a reality. Applications like MeetVR facilitate the creation of meeting spaces that connect people globally. Participants can join via VR headsets or standard computers. Compared to traditional video calls on platforms like Zoom or Teams, avatars add a more personal touch to interactions.

However, to enhance realism, these applications still need refinement to provide avatars that accurately reflect users' movements and facial expressions.

Online meetings are here to stay as companies recognize the potential for saving money and reducing carbon emissions.

Adding a more realistic dimension to meetings can make them far more enjoyable. Instead of staring at a blank screen due to off-camera colleagues, you would have their avatars present in the "room," fostering a greater sense of presence.

Beyond work, picture having a virtual coffee chat with a friend who has moved abroad. She could share her surroundings or take you on a virtual tour of her new city. Alternatively, you could meet in a different location altogether, perhaps on a beach in the Maldives. The Metaverse opens up such possibilities, enriching your interactions with distant loved ones.

#3 Simplifying Daily Tasks

The Metaverse provides continuous access to a vast universe of information, including personal data from your home life.

For instance, you'll know instantly whether your family members are home or if your partner forgot to pick up your child from school. You can also virtually "see" what your kids are up to.

If you're grocery shopping and unsure about your milk supply at home, a quick glance into your fridge or pantry could provide clarity. Or, your smart home system could alert you when you're running low on milk and automatically generate a shopping list when you're near a store.

Shopping and payment processes are set to transform. You might have heard about cashier-less supermarkets where you simply take what you need, and payments are automatically deducted from your account as you exit.

This seamless shopping experience could be enhanced by your smart home notifying you of items you've run out of as you browse the shelves. Want to experiment with a new recipe? Select your dish, and your Metaverse assistant will update your shopping list with missing ingredients. When you return home, cooking instructions will be available on a smart surface in your kitchen, making meal preparation a breeze.

All your essential documents will have digital versions available in the Metaverse. You'll be able to apply for IDs, passports, building permits, and more from a government office within the virtual realm, eliminating the hassle of forgotten paperwork and long lines.

You won't need to rely on the doctor's office to track your child's appointments; a Metaverse concierge will handle that for you, even scheduling doctor visits based on your calendar.

In some instances, these appointments could occur directly in the Metaverse, granting you access to global experts without the need for travel. Smart devices could monitor your vital signs and relay this information to your healthcare providers.

#4 Smart Cities for Improved Living

As populations become concentrated in urban areas, various infrastructural challenges arise. Cities struggle to maintain a high quality of life, dealing with issues like traffic, public transport, energy supply, and the distribution of goods and services.

Many benefits of the Metaverse will not involve virtual reality but will focus on the intelligent utilization of the data we constantly generate and collect.

Consider smart vehicles that automatically adjust routes in response to detected traffic congestion. Public transportation could increase service frequency based on ridership fluctuations, and traffic lights could adapt to real-time conditions.

You will encounter smart interfaces providing information about available services in buildings, guiding you to your destination and notifying your contact about your arrival time.

You'll also have access to various shared mobility options within the city. A centralized mobility booking system will track your usage of cars, bikes, public transport, and e-scooters, consolidating charges at the end of each month.

Mobility data will be integrated back into the Metaverse to ensure the availability of appropriate transportation options.

Environmental data related to air quality, energy consumption, available parking, and traffic patterns will be utilized to provide both residents and city officials with real-time insights.

Need parking? An overlay on your smart glasses or vehicle display will direct you to the nearest available space. If you're looking to enjoy a walk while avoiding crowds, the city will inform you of areas to steer clear of.

If you think these concepts are mere fantasy, think again. Smart cities are already being piloted worldwide, with initiatives like Seoul's Vision 2030 aiming to implement such Metaverse functionalities for its residents.

# Final Thoughts

The recent surge in discussions surrounding the Metaverse has been significant. Media narratives often emphasize the creation of avatars and the immersion into alternate realities, painting an exaggerated picture of what lies ahead.

The transition to the Metaverse will be gradual, merging online and offline worlds over time. The distinction will blur as data enriches our daily lives and enhances our access to information and services. You will have the freedom to decide how deeply you want to immerse yourself at any moment.

This won't be an abrupt shift; you won't simply put on a headset one day and engage with your colleagues exclusively as avatars.

Just as the transition to the digital landscape of the Internet unfolded over approximately 30 years, the shift toward a world where data surrounds us will evolve gradually, both visibly and invisibly.

As we navigate this transition, we must address privacy concerns and adapt our legal frameworks to this new reality.

This journey will be challenging and will require extensive dialogue and involvement from all of us. Such discussions can only take place if we avoid instilling fear around the Metaverse through distorted narratives.

The Metaverse is not just a distant concept; it is already unfolding.

We must ensure that everyone has a voice in shaping its future—not just a select group of early adopters entrenched in a technological bubble.