Is Your Mobile App Ready for the Metaverse? Here’s What Developers Need to Know
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Metaverse or virtual worlds are not new for digital world frequenters; in fact, a high sum of regular people actively spent enormous time in those digital worlds much before this term got recognition. So, what did change when we started to call these “digital gatherings” Metaverses.
Naturally, the name came to circulation and two emerging technologies; Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality. With the help of these next-gen tech and big corporations such as Microsoft and Meta (previously Facebook, Inc.) partnering up while also developing their platforms, it is evident that Metaverses will happen to be part of our lives sooner than ever.
For a developer, the current virtual focus in the market bears profitable outcomes. Powered by blockchain technologies and supported by NFT creation, these digital worlds will shine the most when AR and VR technologies can handle more demanding jobs such as area mapping and diversified device integration. And when that happens, those big companies have another focus point in their milestones, privacy.
What’s Going on in the Metaverse Right Now?
Undoubtedly a stirring pot by rumors about being both dying and striving technology focus, metaverse already proved itself with digital concerts, huge gatherings, prototyped conference environments in the current tech generation. Everyone is hyped about its relevance, and other big consumer brands such as Adidas, Nike, Gucci, and Balenciaga are on this train.
Is it the Future of the App Industry?
In metaverse, the cake is immense due to its possibilities, but surely, mobile devices will get the bigger slice from it. The diversification of AR and VR-capable devices will be the next milestone for this tech. The market for those devices has increased tenfold since 2016 (source Statista) to 300 billion U.S. dollars. If this rise continues, applications taking advantage of AR and VR tech will dominate the app market.
Metaverse Gaming 2022
At the moment, the highest growing games provide support for more than eight players per session at once, along with a generously wide player-to-player interaction. These two factors make those games metaverses on their own. The games also share the profit model with the “ideal metaverse,” creating revenue with microtransactions and character avatar/outfit customizations. The only step to take is making these custom digital assets available throughout other platforms with the token ownership model of NFT’s.
Metaverse AR VR Apps
Due to Meta starting to put quite an emphasis on VR technologies for its Metaverse, VR apps could be our go-to place for even browsing the internet on the premise of “no screen limitations.” The ever-longed face-to-face business meetings are taken under the emphasis of Horizon Workrooms by Meta. From what is seen, this project needs much polishing and is waiting on implementations from other connected technologies such as better anchoring of the body to space, facial gesture mapping, and legs. No one indeed wears pants in online meetings, but it should be at least a feature and not a must.
On the other hand, a pioneer in AR games, Niantic is solidifying its case on “physical should never be abandoned fully,” their focus can be interpreted as going outside and experiencing both the digital and the real world simultaneously. They are also calling other developers to create their SDK called Lightship, designed explicitly for immersive AR games and applications.
Another company called Decentral Games is currently developing 3D metaverse games with core points like NFT acquisition, play-to-earn model development, and wager-based games. These games can be considered the “prototypes” or cornerstones of a world with fully-compatible metaverses which hide surprising things around every corner.
Like these companies having a different opinion on the actual destination of this technology, the brands agree that digital convergence is the future for sure.
What Mobile App Developers Should Do for the Metaverse
Besides trying to learn newly introduced privacy rules and implementations, App developers should focus on keeping their creativity hat on at all times. This wave is still cumulating ideas, and a sharp turn might come any minute. However, holding some fundamental bases such as AR or VR implementation for day-to-day professional or personal activities would be the next go-to choice.
Final Words
The news is flying around, and the hype is seemingly endless. This topic indeed took the world by storm in 2021, and it seems that it is here to stay in 2022 too. Many big brands are partnering behind the development of this new technology, which might be the next thing for connecting people or intensifying gaming.
