Metasexes are considered to be the next evolution trend of Internet ecology. However, there is no complete technical standard for metasexes in the industry, and the leading players are using proprietary data to create their own "sub-metasexes". These industry leaders now believe that the metasexes will live up to their potential only if they are based on open standards.
On June 21 (local time), tech giants including Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, Alibaba, Huawei and others formed a group called "Metasurverse Standards Forum", hoping to establish a compliant and operational standard for the metasurverse, and they plan to hold a meeting in July.
The Metasomes Standards Forum includes many of the largest technology companies, from chip makers to gaming companies, as well as existing standard-setting bodies such as the W3C.
Giants rush to test the waters
The world's biggest technology companies are racing to build their own metasurses, positioning themselves in what is seen as the "battleground" of the future.
Meta (formerly Facebook) and Microsoft are pioneers in actively practicing the metasverse.
Meta expects to spend at least $10 billion this year on research and development in virtual and augmented reality. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is betting his company's future on virtual reality. Recently, Meta has released four prototypes and a concept design for Mirror Lake.
Microsoft had been in the business for years before Facebook changed its name. In May, Microsoft announced the launch of "Industrial Metaverse Solutions" for the Industrial environment, and Kawachi Heavy Industries of Japan is a new customer of the company's Industrial Metaverse service.
Some brands are also using the metasurverse to set up shop. Nike has entered the virtual sneaker market using NFT (non-homogeneous token) technology and opened a store on Roblox, a popular online game with 50 million visitors a day.
Wendy's, a fast-food chain, and jpmorgan Chase, an investment bank, are also developing virtual worlds. Jpmorgan signed a one-year lease for a virtual shopping center with a startup called Everyrealm.
Some metaverse enthusiasts argue that metaverse worlds are more immersive and feature higher-quality 3D graphics than existing online offerings.
Both the giants of some tracks and the start-ups see a big blue-ocean market for metaverse tracks. A study by McKinsey suggests that the value of the metaverse could grow to $5 trillion by 2030.
Apple is still out of the game
However, there is no denying that the development of the metaverse is still in its early stages. In fact, many companies still haven't figured out how to integrate metasexes into their businesses and reach consumers and users on a global scale through virtual worlds.
In addition, the major device manufacturers and platforms have their own proprietary data in this area and cannot reach a standard and consensus.
The Metasurverse Standards Forum was set up to address these issues.
The institute believes that the metasverse will serve as a connector for all sectors of the physical world (covering primary, secondary and tertiary industries). By 2030, it is expected that there will be common protocols between sub-universes, enabling extensive intercommunication, and consumer-level solutions for interacting devices.
Apple was absent from The initial Metasurface Forum, as were game companies such as Roblox and Niantic, as well as emerging cryptocurrency metasurface platforms such as The Sandbox and Decentraland.
It follows news that Apple is looking to launch a new product for mixed reality (a combination of virtual and augmented reality) sometime this year. However, there was no mention of the product at Apple's annual developer conference on June 10.