What began in a college dorm room is set to transcend the physical world, as Facebook embarks on a new path today with an unexpected name change.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced today that the company formerly known as Facebook has changed its name to Meta.
What is the significance of Facebook’s new name?
Zuckerberg has lofty goals for changing people’s perceptions of what is possible with social media.
Giving the company a new name reinforces the fact that Facebook as we know it is getting a makeover.
Meta aims to add a new dimension to the experience, where Facebook laid the groundwork for connecting people through photos, videos, and text.
The term “meta” comes from the word “metaverse,” which refers to an immersive 3D environment in which multiple people can share the same virtual space.
Zuckerberg explains his unique perspective:
“The defining quality of the metaverse will be a feeling of presence — like you are right there with another person or in another place. Feeling truly present with another person is the ultimate dream of social technology. That is why we are focused on building this.
In the metaverse, you’ll be able to do almost anything you can imagine — get together with friends and family, work, learn, play, shop, create — as well as completely new experiences that don’t really fit how we think about computers or phones today.”
He goes on to describe a potential use case that sounds completely foreign to how we currently use technology.
Users log in with VR helmets and interact with each other as holograms in Zuckerberg’s metaverse.
The virtual world to which they connect is intended to resemble real life.
Coworkers, for example, can log into the metaverse and convene for a meeting. Even though they are in different countries, it will feel as if they are all in the same room.
Consider concerts where attendance isn’t limited by a person’s physical location as a more entertaining example of what’s possible in the metaverse.
You could go see your favorite artist with a friend from another state without having to travel.
Zuckerberg goes on:
“In this future, you will be able to teleport instantly as a hologram to be at the office without a commute, at a concert with friends, or in your parents’ living room to catch up. This will open up more opportunity no matter where you live. You’ll be able to spend more time on what matters to you, cut down time in traffic, and reduce your carbon footprint.”
Will any of these experiences suffice as a substitute for real life? Will people be willing to use technology in this manner?
Zuckerberg is certain the answer is yes. However, he is not abandoning existing platforms.
Here’s what Facebook and Meta are up to next.
What Now That Facebook Has Changed Its Name?
In the future, the Facebook app suite will be managed by a separate division of the company. Another division will be formed to handle all future platform work.
Existing apps are now second in priority, according to Zuckerberg, who declares that his company is “metaverse-first.”
“From now on, we will be metaverse-first, not Facebook-first. That means that over time you won’t need a Facebook account to use our other services. As our new brand starts showing up in our products, I hope people around the world come to know the Meta brand and the future we stand for.”
There’s no sign that Facebook as a product is going away.
Businesses and marketers can exhale a collective sigh of relief because there will be no disruption to existing services.
In addition to Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, the company’s metaverse-related services will be available.
That being said, there is no obligation to enter the metaverse if you are not yet ready to learn about it.
Zuckerberg is making a big push for his metaverse vision, but I doubt that joining it will suddenly become a requirement for using the company’s other services.
Time will tell whether the rest of the world shares his enthusiasm for this project.
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