Apple and Meta could monopolize the metaverse, experts say

Apple and Meta are increasingly interested in the metaverse. Even with companies able to help take advantage of this industry, the end result could be negative for users, according to industry experts.

Both companies appear to be leading the race for the metaverse. in this days. The company led by Mark Zuckerberg started by changing its name from Facebook to Meta in 2021.

The creator of the iPhone has already announced a new mixed reality headsetwhich should hit the market at the end of this year and promises to intensify competition in the sector, which should soon include the presence of other Big Techs like Microsoft.

At first glance, having the support and investment of the richest and most influential companies in the world can be a good sign. However, professionals in the field heard by The Block claim that Apple, Meta and other big tech can kill the dream of a decentralized metaverse.

Big tech doesn’t want to lose control

Today’s Internet is basically controlled by a small group of companies, responsible for creating and managing the Internet. softwarethe devices, apps and the infrastructure it uses the vast majority of users. In this environment, people’s data ends up becoming the main merchandise, with misuse or information leaks being frequent.

The enthusiasts of cryptocurrencies believe that this industry could be the solution, with technologies such as blockchain, NFTsDeFi and the metaverse bringing greater decentralization and autonomy to users. As a result, web 3.0the concept that defines the grouping of these technologies, is emerging as the next Internet revolution.

However, anyone who believes that Big Tech is unaware of these changes is wrong. The Actions recent reports from Meta and Apple show that companies they want to continue being influential in this new niche, which may favor the creation of closed and centralized ecosystems, according to Rebecca Barkin, president of Lamina1.

The company, co-founded by Neal Stephenson, author of the term metaverse, aims to create an open virtual reality environment through blockchain. “Our objective is undertake a journey with developers and corporations that have communicated their support for an open Internet,” said Barkin.

What will be the future of the metaverse?

Despite not having the financial power to Bigh Techs, the projects of metaverses Decentralized can win this dispute, according to TJ Kawamura, co-founder of Everyrealm. The executive believes that users will look for alternatives that impose less control and give them more freedom.

“If any of these existing platforms decide to deny users these rights, I think builders and consumers will switch to other options.”

In this sense, Meta affirms that it does not want to monopolize the technology. “There will be no Metaverse run by Meta, any more than there is a ‘Microsoft Internet’ or ‘Google Internet’ today.” The company also claims that the metaverse will not be a single product.

“Like the Internet today, the metaverse will be a constellation of technologies, platforms, and products. It will not be built, operated or governed by any company or institution,” he said in his release.

In order to support this vision, Meta joined other major companies like Epic Games and Microsoft in the creation of the Metaverse Standards Forum, an organization that aims to promote concepts and means for the creation of an open metaverse.

Although the future of the metaverse is not yet defined, it is almost certain that the presence of large corporations will increase. This is especially due to the potential of this market. A recent study showed that the segment could have a value of 5 trillion dollars at the end of this decade.