computing — a “ new , more intuitive way to interact with computing ” without being tethered to a particular space or device .
He believes that , in the near term , the most achievable and accessible approach technologically is by working with artificial , immersive , AR / VR mediums . But in his future version of the metaverse , physical and digital spaces would blend : We could walk into either the virtual or physical space and seamlessly finish an activity we started somewhere else .
Both of these renditions rely on bandwidthhungry applications , making connectivity one of the key infrastructure components .
“ We need to have reliable , quick , low-latency computing ,” Sawtell says . “ This is going to be a challenge , especially for some groups .”
The adoption of 5G , as well as Wi-Fi 6 , will close some of the gaps . Both technologies bring higher speeds and capacity , and the tech industry expects to see innovation in AR / VR applications as a result .
AN OPEN EXPERIENCE In recent months , many tech players have jumped on the metaverse bandwagon , branding everything from concerts ( like Justin Bieber on the Wave platform ) to shopping ( like Samsung ’ s 837X virtual store in Decentraland ) as metaverse experiences . These represent what this new digital touchpoint may look like , but — ultimately — the prevailing thought is that the metaverse should remain persistent , with no start and end , and span across all types of worlds .
In this kind of continuous digital universe , we could seamlessly bring our identities ( and digital assets ) with us anywhere . For that , we need an open metaverse rather than the walled gardens that many companies are building . And , for the proponents of an open metaverse , interoperability and standards rank high on the must-have list .
Caleb Applegate calls individual immersive worlds — like “ Fortnite ,” Roblox or Decentraland — slices of the metaverse . Applegate is the chief operating officer of Enjin , which provides the Ethereum-based cryptocurrency Enjin Coin , along with a series of non-fungible token ( NFT ) products . He believes these metaverse slices are a necessary first phase , allowing different stakeholders “ to explore what a digital world looks like .”
“ As everything evolves , the metaverse then becomes open and interoperable ,” Applegate says . “ And , instead of these siloed worlds , you now have an open universe with a digital avatar and assets attached to your identity .”
EVERYDAY , FRICTIONLESS ACCESSIBILITY Regardless of which camp they ’ re in , metaverse supporters say that usability engineering should be a priority . This includes creating a frictionless user experience so that anyone can access the metaverse , regardless of their device .
Technology entrepreneur and VR pioneer Richard Boyd has been an advocate for the metaverse ever since sci-fi author Neal Stephenson coined the word and introduced the idea of a VR-based successor to the internet in his 1992 book , “ Snow Crash .” Boyd says friction is an important consideration .
“ I ’ m always asking , how can I get in and collaborate with other people using rich media communication that doesn ’ t require installing special software , opening ports or using a device other than what I ’ m already comfortable with ?” Boyd says .
These kinds of design challenges aren ’ t new , he adds . Web design went through similar pain points , including the need to ensure sites can accommodate high traffic and look and feel consistent across platforms .
“ But it ’ s slightly more challenging for the metaverse because now you ’ ve got more
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