Metaverse Express - Welcome to the Real-time economy

Often when we talk about the Internet and networks, we talk about latency. After all, latency is the unlocking key to new, faster business opportunities.

The conversation so far focused very much on application by application, with some requiring as low latency times as possible versus others which are capable of coping with slightly longer times. For example, immersive gaming experiences or remote surgery needs to be performed in real time versus you accessing your Facebook page or search for “What is the metaverse” on Google. We have lived our lives on prioritizing the experiences we want to live. But the metaverse changes all that.

If we are to mix real life with virtual in the way the metaverse is being presented, then all applications will require ultra-low latency times. This is where the speed at which things happen in real life, in everything we do, needs to be matched in the virtual world. From the avatar to movements, actions, events, this is a new age of communication and interaction.

Welcome to real time applications and a new real time multi-trillion Dollar economy set to reach $1.54 trillion by the end of the decade, from today’s $148.5 billion.

The first part of this new virtual world, is in fact, hardware. Devices that will enable the hundreds of millions of users to enter virtual platforms from across the globe and into new dimensions.

This is where extended reality (XR) devices come in. The merging of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR) and cinematic reality (CR), is something many of us have already experienced.

The market here has made some significant strides in recent years, with dozens of different brands available to buy off the shelve today. With market prices slowly dropping, the devices are also becoming available to users that before could not afford them.

Price reduction, allied with better technology and market education are set to grow the VR segment, for example, from just over $10 billion to more than $50 billion by 2027, says Grand View Research.

If the entry gate to the metaverse is growing – headsets -, you could say that half the work is done. However, that is far from reality. The metaverse is and will be a “construction site” for many years to come, potentially even one or two decades until it becomes what we envision as the real virtual world. And this is expensive too. After all, the metaverse is the internet and the networks that connect us all.

One way to be able to sustain just capital intensive development – and this applies beyond Meta – is to begin collecting user data and providing services. On the data, the head pieces like VR sets play a crucial role not only in enabling the user into the metaverse but also by collecting information. According to a 2018 Stanford Virtual Human Interaction Lab paper, researchers estimate that 20 minutes in a VR simulation allows almost 2 million body language recordings. That goes from leg movements to arms, eye pupils’ movement, etc.

This will be the cement of building a real-life experience. It is not about the user adapting to the metaverse, but the metaverse be built for the user. And whilst before this meant a general building process to encompass the largest user base possible, we can now literally build a metaverse for each single individual using it. The one size doesn’t fit all expression is about to gain a whole new meaning.

In terms of capital, at the moment, the fastest way to generate some metaverse cash is through gaming and retail which at the same time can help build that database of user interaction.

Nike’s recent announcement to launch Nikeland on the metaverse platform Roblox is proof that this movement is very much alive. Balenciaga, Gucci, Sotheby’s, Coke, Chipotle, and Wendy’s, are just some more other names rushing into establishing metaverse footprints.

I would add on top of all this that if there is one thing that is not changing with the metaverse, is that those who begin early, will have a much bigger competitive advantage later down the line.

The metaverse will also generate a new way of collaboration and communications streams, to the level that Microsoft Teams and Zoom changed our interactions online. Meetings will be done in real time, but no longer we will simply see the person on a screen, we will be “in the room” with them, in real time.

Let’s take a step back here to explore the revenue generation here: if you have an avatar and you’re going into a meeting, your Nike trainers and Balenciaga t-shirt might not work, you will most likely need a suit and some good – Italian if you allow me! – shoes for the occasion. You see where I’m going with this… the way you live your real life, shop, dress, etc, will be copied into the metaverse.

You then ask, why would I pay twice for my clothes? Time will tell, but the idea here would be that if you buy for the metaverse, you get that garment in real life too. Nevertheless, it is still early to talk about this as it has not been discussed in detail and it is likely to vary between business plans.

The metaverse requires work, capital and commitment. Partnerships and alliances will also be extremely important as it will be to rely on robust networks, solid digital infrastructure and a 24/7 support line.

This is where, by combining our know-how and regional expertise with our advanced technologies and resources, HGC's one-stop OTT edge solutions can provide custom components and solutions on a large scale and in a cost-effective manner, fully supporting OTTs to deliver a huge amount of content with minimal latency and increased agility.

As an ICT service provider and network operator, for HGC, it is vital that we take care of the user experience. For example, we have developed solutions to lower latency in order to generate more enjoyable gaming experiences.

On the operational side, a larger gaming platform requires more CAPEX and OPEX to expand the user reach. We have therefore added solutions to help minimise costs, as well as launching the network-as-a-service framework, where gaming companies can scale their network as their needs shift and the user base grows.

Go ahead, we’ve got your back

Here at HGC, we are a platform that combines different services including IP Transit, edge data centers, connectivity, managed services and more, that allows metaverse brands to grow and reach the masses.

To learn more about our metaverse portfolio, visit here: https://www.hgc-intl.com/produ...

As we say, go ahead, we’ve got your back!