The rise of the Metaverse has undoubtedly opened up the door to the future of communication via digital avatars.
With its rise in popularity, it is unsurprising to see many big AR companies looking to carve their way into different niches within the Metaverse. But who are the leaders in the race to shape the Metaverse?
Leading AR Companies Shaping the Future of the Metaverse
Let’s take a look at a few AR companies that are changing the Metaverse right before our eyes.
Meta
For many Metaverse enthusiasts, it comes as no surprise to see Meta at the top of this list. Formerly known as Facebook, Meta rebranded in October 2021 with the goal of shifting its focus from social media platforms to the virtual world of the Metaverse.
With the launch of Horizon Worlds, a free online video game using VR technology, Meta has taken a major step forward in the development of the Metaverse.
“Our hope is that within the next decade, the Metaverse will reach a billion people,” says Meta’s founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg.
The platform is designed to give users an active world-building experience, rather than just being spectators. By creating an avatar and entering the virtual world, users can participate in activities such as attending work meetings, concerts, parties, sports events, and much more through an immersive virtual experience.
Since the launch of Horizon Worlds, Meta has encouraged users to utilize Horizon’s world-building tools to create new spaces within the Metaverse. The company hopes to host billions of dollars of digital commerce and support jobs for creators and developers around the world.
Nvidia
3D workflow has become an essential element in many different industries. With the launch of the Omniverse Open Beta in December 2020, Nvidia has taken its first steps in contributing to the development of the Metaverse.
The Omniverse aims to “unify 3D worlds” and find a “common way for people to collaborate whether they are across the room or across the globe,” says Richard Kerris, General Manager for Omniverse at Nvidia.
Inside the Nvidia Omniverse, content creators can now collaborate to create three-dimensional digital content in real-time.
Today, the Omniverse has over 30,000 users from various industries, including architecture, engineering, product design, game development, robotics, entertainment, and more.
Tencent
Tencent is a multinational, Internet-based entertainment and technology conglomerate company with headquarters in Shenzhen, China. As one of the highest-grossing multimedia enterprises in the world, it’s no surprise that Tencent is one of the leading forces in the development of the global Metaverse.
Joining the Metaverse race in early 2022, the Internet giant created the so-called “extended reality” division, a unit of tech professionals aimed at developing hardware and other services for the Metaverse.
Initially, very little information about the division was publicly available, but Reuters reports that, as its first Metaverse project, Tencent’s extended reality division is developing a metaverse-optimized headset. Tencent also aims to contribute to the Metaverse through its game development wing, Tencent Games.
Microsoft
In Microsoft’s vision of the Metaverse, the digital representations of people, places, and things must be persistent, and the gap between the digital and physical world must be bridged.
Supporting Meta in the development of applications, Microsoft has become one of the biggest Metaverse contributors. The tech giant has also joined forces with Qualcomm in developing an augmented-reality chipset for the virtual world.
At the Microsoft Build 2022 conference, Microsoft brought together a group of experts to
discuss the company’s next move in the Metaverse. While many interesting topics were discussed, it is clear that the company’s individual Metaverse strategy mainly revolves around Teams, their collaboration platform for the workplace.
Microsoft plans to enhance the communication and collaboration capabilities of Teams through the integration of virtual reality and augmented reality, allowing users to have more immersive and interactive meetings in the Metaverse.
In addition, Microsoft is also working on developing HoloLens, a mixed-reality headset, as a tool for collaboration in the Metaverse.
Google has been a key player in the development of the Metaverse for many years. In 2018, the company launched a VR division called Google VR, which later evolved into Google AR & VR. Through this division, Google has developed various AR and VR products, including Google Glass, a wearable computer with an optical head-mounted display.
While Google Glass did not achieve widespread success, the company has continued to push the boundaries of AR technology. In 2021, Google announced the development of ARCore, a software development kit (SDK) that allows for the creation of AR applications on Android devices.
These AR products and initiatives show Google’s dedication to the development of the Metaverse and its potential applications in various industries.
Apple
Apple is another major player in the AR and VR space, with a long history of developing innovative technologies. In 2017, the company launched ARKit, a software development kit that allows developers to create AR applications for iOS devices.
With the release of ARKit, Apple became a pioneer in the field of mobile AR, paving the way for the development of AR apps on smartphones and tablets.
In addition to ARKit, Apple has also developed other AR products, such as the AR-powered iPhone camera and the AR-powered iPad Pro.
In 2020, Apple acquired VR headset maker NextVR, further solidifying its commitment to the development of VR technology.
While Apple has not explicitly stated its plans for the Metaverse, the company’s AR and VR products and initiatives show its potential to become a major player in the virtual world.
Wrapping Up
Metaverse is a rapidly-evolving space with many big AR companies looking to make their mark. From Meta’s immersive virtual worlds and Horizon Worlds to Nvidia’s Omniverse and Google’s ARCore, each company is bringing unique perspectives and technologies to the table.
Apple, with its ARKit and VR headset maker acquisition, is also a major player in the AR and VR space. It will be interesting to see how these companies continue to shape the Metaverse and bring innovative solutions to various industries.
As the Metaverse continues to grow and develop, it is clear that these AR companies will play a significant role in its evolution.
