Facebook is rebranding itself as Meta — much like Google re-created itself as Alphabet — to house its services and products. Tying into the idea of a metaverse, Mark Zuckerberg says he pictures a space where people can work, play, communicate and game in a virtual space.
“From now on, we’re going to be the metaverse first, not Facebook first,” he said at the company’s annual Connect conference via best online casino Australia. “Our brand is so tightly linked to one product that it can’t possibly represent everything we’re doing today, let alone the future.”
The New York native, 37, explained that over time, his team hopes Meta can be seen as a “metaverse company,” which is what he wants to “anchor” its work and identity to as of Thursday. Intended to be a virtual world where people work, play, learn and connect, what else do we know about this rebranding?
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Why Meta?
The word “meta” comes from the Greek word meaning “beyond.” Zuckerberg also penned a “Founders Letter,” which he uploaded to the Meta website on Thursday to further explain the name he picked.
“For me, it symbolizes that there is always more to build, and there is always a next chapter to the story. Ours is a story that started in a dorm room and grew beyond anything we imagined,” he wrote via usrealmoney-casinos.com. “Into a family of apps that people use to connect with one another, to find their voice, and to start businesses, communities, and movements that have changed the world.”
Yes, Mark Zuckerberg still boss
The entrepreneur will stay on as Meta’s CEO and continue to oversee the changes being made within the parent company.
Meta at Headquarters
The company replaced its Facebook “like” image outside of the Menlo Park, California, headquarters on Thursday to the new Meta logo, which looks like an infinity sign.
Controversy behind the switch?
“Even though I think some people might want to make that connection, I think that’s sort of a ridiculous thing,” Zuckerberg told The Verge on Thursday when asked if the name change had anything to do with the current negative news surrounding Facebook. “If anything, I think that this is not the environment that you would want to introduce a new brand in.
The Meta Products/ Services
Horizon Home: the new VR-based experience will be developed in due course to fully take its form as a platform to host the digital presence or avatar of a user. Multiple avatars would be able to interact in real-time, creating a digital environment.
Messenger Calls in VR: Meta will be bringing Messenger audio calls to a virtual reality-based experience later this year.
Gaming: Meta has announced the development of the popular GTA game San Andreas for Oculus Quest 2, wherein players will be able to be a part of the digitally created environment of the game with the help of headsets.
VR-based fitness accessories will be available by next year for Quest 2, including new grips for the touch controllers and an exercise optimized facial interface.
Quest for Business: it would be a set of features for Businesses that might migrate to the metaverse in the near future. The suite will provide access to productivity and work-related applications in a digitally created environment.
The Meta effect
The increased awareness and excitement around the word ‘meta’ proved to be a windfall for a company.
Meta Marterials Inc. A Canadian company, found itself gaining monetary benefit due the buzz surrounding the word. Shares of the company, which goes by the ticker name MMAT, rose by whopping 26 per cent in after-hours trading as people mistook it to be the rebranded entity of Facebook. This was followed by 4.8 per cent gain during trading hours. The company now has a market cap of $1.3 billion.
