“We are convinced that the metaverse is the future of computing”

Graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and based in San Francisco, Anand Dass is “Metaverse Content” director of the Meta group (new name of Facebook). He believes more than ever in the metaverse.

Since the acquisition of Oculus VR by Facebook in March 2014, what does the ecosystem formed around your virtual reality headsets represent today?

Over $1.5 billion (€1.4 billion) has been spent on games and apps in the Meta Quest Store [la boutique de contenus et d’accessoires pour les casques Quest de réalité virtuelle]. Of these games and apps, 33 grossed more than $10 million, and 55 grossed more than $5 million. And of the more than 400 apps on the Quest Store, about a third generate millions of dollars in revenue. Developers are already creating amazing games. As for the App Lab, which since 2021 has allowed developers to speak directly to their community without going through the Quest Store, it has more than 2,000 applications.

How are the uses of virtual reality headsets changing?

Meta Quest 2 [modèle de casque VR disponible depuis octobre 2020] has proven that virtual reality is a fun and immersive way to play, move and be entertained. But this is only the beginning. Work is one of the areas where the Metaverse will be most transformative. People feel truly present, productive and connected, regardless of their physical presence. The Meta Quest Pro [casque de réalité mixte permettant depuis octobre 2021 de fusionner mondes réels et virtuels] was designed for collaboration and productivity. The Horizon Workrooms virtual workroom is a first step towards an office in the metaverse. And, thanks to the Presence platform (mixed reality, feeling of social presence…), new types of applications will be created. Companies wishing to prepare for the metaverse are enthusiastic. We see very strong potential in training, hospitality, collaboration and design.

Do you have an example of a user company?

Accenture has successfully deployed 60,000 Quest 2 headsets since 2020 for internal training and onboarding new employees. In Europe, many companies are experimenting with our virtual reality equipment.

What is the next step ?

We will be launching Quest for Business this year, a virtual reality subscription offering for business accounts, device and app management, premium support, and more. The partnership with Microsoft will make it possible to use Office 365 in Quest and to integrate Microsoft Teams into Horizon Workrooms.

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