Hey, Yon here! Welcome to Into The Metaverse. My mission is to help you understand what is the metaverse, how it will impact our lives, and what opportunities it unlocks. If you are a marketer, entrepreneur, investor or simply a curious professional, Into The Metaverse is for you. Subscribe to get access to every letter and podcast show that I publish.

Here’s what I’ve got for you this week:

1. Latest on Into The Metaverse podcast: A conversation with Maxim Perumal - founder and CEO of Unai

2. Weekly news roundup

Let’s dig in!

(1) Latest on Into The Metaverse podcast: A conversation with Maxim Perumal - founder and CEO of Unai

Maxim Perumal is the founder of Unai, a stealth startup company that makes a VR headset and Virtual World dedicated to making human interactions look, feel, and sound like they do in real life. Unai is funded by NFX, Stride, Y Combinator and David Helgason (founder of Unity Engine), among others. Previously Maxim built Relativty, a popular open-source VR headset when he was 15 years old. He open-sourced it after Meta (then Facebook) invited him to meet with Oculus' Chief Architect.

We cover in detail the story of building an open-source VR headset which led Maxim to drop out of high school and begin his journey to build next generation VR platform with Unai, which while is still in stealth mode, spark interest from leading investors who are backing Maxim in his quest to build a truly user-focused VR headset and experience. We also discuss the key pillars that are crucial to providing an enjoyable user experience and what the wider competitive landscape looks like, including Maxim’s point of view on Meta and Apple’s efforts in the space.

“An Instantaneous sense of presence” is how Maxim described the essence of how the metaverse will make people feel.

Listen to the episode on: Apple / Spotify / Anchor.

Watch:

(2) Weekly news roundup

Platforms & Technologies

• Meta is shutting down one of the best Oculus games but its share price is up ~25% this week due to renewed focus on its core business

• OpenAI launches ChatGPT Plus, starting at $20 per month

• Ready Player Me launches trial of generative AI avatar creator

• Snap hints at future AR glasses powered by generative AI

• Google CEO promises new A.I. features are coming to search ‘very soon’ amid competition from ChatGPT

• Microsoft committed to HoloLens 2 and Mixed Reality

• Nokia: The new Metaverse and our 2030 Vision

• Samsung, Google and Qualcomm Team Up to Build a New Mixed-Reality Platform

Brand Experiences

• Warner Music Group announces the launch of Rythhm City on Roblox

• Best Roblox Games for Brand Integrations

• Mattel and Minecraft release Camp Enderwood toys and DLC map

• Oreo debuts in the metaverse space, partners with celebrity chef

• Inside Penguin Random House’s play to reach avid readers on TikTok’s BookTok

• Yves Saint Laurent files series of metaverse trademarks 

People

• Accenture Song hires new global metaverse head

Opinions

• We’ve lost the plot

• Technology makes us more human

• The touchy-feely world of the metaverse and future gadgets

• In the Age of A.I., Major in Being Human

• The metaverse brings a new breed of threats to challenge privacy and security gatekeepers

• How EA plans to compete with Fortnite and Roblox in the metaverse

• Securing the metaverse: 3 cyber concerns

• AI's Linux Moment: An Open-Source AI Model Love Note

• Why Now is the Time to Realize the Potential of the Metaverse

• Augmented reality is taking center stage in brand marketing

• Apple’s VR Vision Comes Into Focus

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