Following rumored plan for a rebranding, Facebook is officially adopting a new name, Meta, to best represent the company’s changing disposition.
In an hour-long livestream, Connect 2021, Mark Zuckerberg went into detail at how Facebook is changing to a new name. One which many skeptics find to be a means of escape from its bad reputation arising from the scandals it accumulated throughout the years. But the CEO claims it to being a better representation of the company as it shifts its focus into the “metaverse”. As well as a step away from the stigma of being “just a social media company”.
With a name that is too closely-linked with the social media, Zuckerberg is making a point. But the change of name will only apply to the California-based company itself, not the social media service that gave rise to it. The choice to adopt a new name is rather fitting as well, controversy-aside, considering that the tech giant has already become an umbrella for a number of different services through acquisitions. WhatsApp and Instagram being its two other big products and services, among others.
Announcing @Meta — the Facebook company’s new name. Meta is helping to build the metaverse, a place where we’ll play and connect in 3D. Welcome to the next chapter of social connection. pic.twitter.com/ywSJPLsCoD
— Meta (@Meta) October 28, 2021
The “metaverse”
As for metaverse, however, it is certainly an ambitious project aimed towards future innovation, involving tech, social media, internet, and AR/VR. Which, at best, could see adopters living a life that revolves around technology that we have never experienced before. All while enjoying the service’s purpose of connecting people, albeit in an all-new way.
“… the metaverse will feel like a hybrid of today’s online social experiences, sometimes expanded into three dimensions or projected into the physical world. It will let you share immersive experiences with other people even when you can’t be together — and do things together you couldn’t do in the physical world. It’s the next evolution in a long line of social technologies”.
In order to live up to its promises, Meta will see itself structured in two different compartments—Family of Apps and Reality Labs. For easy comparison, the former will involve the development of applications while the latter will entail everything that is related to virtual and augmented reality.
No more Oculus
Alongside the company relabeling, the technology giant is also dropping the Oculus brand in favor of Meta for its VR headset product and service. Hence, there will be Meta Quest 2 instead of Oculus Quest 2 and Meta Quest App instead of Oculus App beginning early 2022.
Image used courtesy of Meta/YouTube Screenshot