The applications of the metaverse can be endless, and the more the business world becomes digitized, the more possible applications will increase.
Let's look at some examples.
Communication is definitely a field in which the metaverse will have applications and effects: whether it is communication related to professional life, or communication related to leisure as on social networks, the fact of having interconnection and interoperability will expand the boundaries of virtual communication.
A prime example of application is definitely the world of gaming and videogaming.
The future that many companies are aiming at is very reminiscent of a real-life version of Ready Player One, a successful movie directed by director Steven Spielberg in 2018; suffice it to say that Tim Sweeney, CEO of EpicGames, a video game developer, who has stated that he wants to revolutionize video game products.
As far as Microsoft is concerned, as already anticipated by Satya Nadella, some games are already a metaverse in themselves - like, for example, Minecraft or Microsoft Flight Simulator - and they just need to become 3D, overcoming the current two-dimensionality.
And this is certainly true for many other games that could be revolutionized to give the player a completely different and much more engaging experience.
As virtual reality technologies advance, it will be possible to build more and more immersive and engaging experiences to live while in the home.
Just by wearing headsets and visors, the way we interact with our homes will be completely changed. For example, you will be able to watch movies in an immersive environment, or choose options for the operation of home appliances through Virtual Reality applications.
The use of virtual reality in the world of TV shopping is already a reality. In South Korea, GS Shop, a leading multimedia retailer, was the first company to use metaverse technology in its advertising space. During a TV commercial involving Otree's dried fruit, GS Shop allowed viewers to virtually visit the factory through a virtual tour, building a 3D replica of Otree's production site. The goal was to reassure consumers about the quality of production before they could make purchasing decisions.
This type of project can certainly be reused for an infinite number of products and could represent a breakthrough in TV advertising.
The scope of the metaverse could also cover e-Commerce of products and clothes to provide customers with a better experience before purchase.
During the pandemic caused by Covid, steps were taken in this direction, as brands started to invest in so-called "fashion tech" to create events with 3D catwalks for fashion shows or 3D spaces to present new products. It is therefore thought that the metaverse could become a new and innovative method of connection and customer management in the field of consumer experience, thanks to which, for example, online stores can be created that allow people to test products before they buy them.
Even in sports, the metaverse could be useful. A virtual reality that allows training even in adverse weather conditions could help athletes to be readier and visualize the steps to be taken to reach the goal (whether it is the finish line of a race or a rowing race, as a tennis match or basketball) in any situation they may find themselves.
Virtual reality, of course, can also have a super-high impact on education. Using the metaverse, in addition to books, kids could study distant planets up close, see firsthand how the ancient Greeks and Romans lived, or visit places like the Pyramids in Egypt, instead of just seeing it all in pictures in books.
There are already infrastructure construction projects using the metaverse.
For example, in the city of Gwangju in South Korea, metaverse technologies will be applied to four existing sectors: healthcare, sustainable cars, sustainable energy, cultural content, and manufacturing.
Geolocation can also be a field where the metaverse can be used, with interactive and interconnected maps of stores, restaurants, gas stations and anything else that can be useful to find on the road: like now, but in virtual reality.
As the "Metaverse Art Exhibition" of Alibaba, certainly also museums, theaters, concerts, expo, could be a field of application of the metaverse and be visited virtually, at a distance, using virtual reality.