Mark Zuckerberg “reviewed” Apple’s Vision Pro and found that while Meta’s Quest headset could do it seamlessly, it lacked a lot of things that made it much cheaper. .Image credit: Meta
If Mark Zuckerberg’s reaction to Apple’s Vision Pro mixed reality headset is anything to go by, Meta seems worried that Apple will make significant inroads into Meta’s Quest headset. . To prevent that from happening, Zuckerberg wants to acquire customers while they are fairly young.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is preparing to bring virtual reality headsets into classrooms to provide 13-year-old students with an immersive educational experience.
With this move, Meta claims it wants to revolutionize traditional learning by allowing students to explore the world regardless of the world or time.
Meta’s Quest VR headset and Metaverse allow students to visit ancient Rome and visit some of the world’s most popular museums.
For example, students can visit the Louvre Museum in Paris, France from their classrooms anywhere in the world.
The social media giant’s move comes as Meta and other social media platforms are under intense scrutiny from Congress over a lack of protections for children online.
However, Meta sees its foray into education as a strategic step in a larger pivot towards virtual reality and augmented reality technologies, despite the slow adoption of these technologies so far. There is. By bringing VR technology into the classroom, Meta hopes to increase the visibility and familiarity of VR technology among young users.
Nick Clegg, President of Global Affairs at Meta, highlighted the company’s patient approach to this initiative and highlighted the company’s commitment to encouraging the use of VR technology.
Meta’s spending this year is expected to rise, primarily to build out the technology infrastructure needed for virtual reality and artificial intelligence tools.
The COVID-19 pandemic has thrust educational technology into the spotlight, prompting schools to move to virtual classrooms and invest heavily in devices to facilitate distance learning. Meta’s VR technology (which has not yet been named) will allow teachers to manage multiple student headsets and access educational apps on Meta’s Quest devices. The education product will likely operate on a subscription basis, similar to Quest for Business, which Meta launched last year for offices.
Meta appears to be following the same model once deployed by Apple and later by Microsoft. These big tech companies used to fund local schools in the US by providing his PCs and Macs for classes and computer labs. The idea was that when students became adults, they would be more likely to purchase the operating system they had been using, regardless of the machine’s capabilities.
That’s why American technology companies are offering deep discounts to domestic students across their products. But most schools in the U.S. now have Chromebooks instead of Windows machines or Macs. Despite this, Apple still continues to offer special discounts on both hardware and software to students.
Virtual reality headsets in classrooms could become as common as iPads, Google Chromebooks, and smart whiteboards, revolutionizing the way we teach.
Clegg noted that the educational product is being driven by demand from teachers, citing a 2022 report showing that the Metaverse version of Morehouse College improved student outcomes compared to in-person attendance. Did.
Although the benefits of immersive virtual reality in education are still being researched, early research suggests that immersive virtual reality may increase student motivation.
However, some studies also show that it can overwhelm students and hinder learning. Despite these challenges, Mehta remains optimistic about the potential of his VR technology to transform educational settings.
