Facebook has tested a new virtual reality app that can be used for remote working. The company’s Oculus Quest 2 headsets allow users to join meetings as an avatar version of themselves.
Facebook’s Horizon Workrooms app test comes as many companies decide to let staff work from home permanently. As a result of the corona pandemic, hardly any work was done in the office. Unfortunately, the virus also escalates in many places, often delaying decisions to work in the office.
The world’s largest social network has invested heavily in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). AR mixes the real world with the virtual world. The company developed various hardware such as its Oculus VR headsets. Time and money were also spent on developing AR glasses and technologies for smartwatches.
Facebook sees the test as an early step toward building the futuristic “metaverse” that CEO Mark Zuckerberg has touted in recent weeks. Metaverse is a shared virtual space where reality is combined with the virtual world. According to Zuckerberg, this Meta-universe is the successor to the mobile internet. The app allows up to sixteen people to be together in VR and up to fifty in total for video meeting participants.
Facebook recently stopped selling its Oculus Quest 2 headsets and recalled the devices already sold due to reports of skin irritations. According to the recall message, it involved a total of about 4 million gadgets in the United States.