VR, AR AND THE RUNWAY TO THE METAVERSE

Why metaverse is not about escaping reality

- BY CHRIS REDMOND Special To Gulf News

The truth is simple. The metaverse is not one platform or game. It is a network of connected digital spaces where people can interact, work, shop, and create. Think of it as the next evolution of the internet. Not flat web pages and apps, but immersive 3D environments. Just as the early internet was hard to picture until it became mainstream.

So where do virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) fit in? They are not the metaverse itself, but the tools that allow us to access and experience it. VR headsets and AR overlays are the runway, and we are still experimenting with these things. They are a necessary starting point for the metaverse to eventually take off.

To make the distinction clear:

■VR (Virtual Reality) creates fully immersive digital environments. Put on a headset, and you're transported into a simulated space, a property tour, a classroom, or even a virtual cinema.

■AR (Augmented Reality) layers digital information onto the real world. Point your phone at a building and see information about it, or wear AR glasses that guide you step by step through a task.

The Metaverse is where these experiences can connect and scale. It's not one VR app or AR filter, but an ecosystem of linked spaces where your identity, purchases, and interactions can persist.