Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:FB), formerly Facebook, has officially unveiled a new login system to access the metaverse through its Meta Quest virtual reality (VR) headsets.
Dubbed Meta accounts and Meta Horizon profiles, these new login systems will be rolled out globally on a gradual basis to provide more flexibility, control and privacy in the VR environment.
Meta is providing these new methods of logging in after privacy concerns arose regarding using personal social media accounts.
Users will no longer be required to access their headsets using Facebook accounts as the company is transitioning from being Facebook-first to metaverse-first in its approach.
However, the company is still allowing users to use Facebook and Instagram accounts to create a Meta account.
New login systems
The new Meta account is not a social profile – instead, it lets you log into your VR devices and view and manage your purchased apps in one place.
It gives users more choice when it comes to how they log into VR and whether Facebook and Instagram are part of their VR experience.
However, the Meta Horizon profile represents your social presence in VR and other situations where you use your Meta Horizon profile.
With your Meta Horizon profile, you can choose how you appear to others by customising your username, avatar and other information.
About the metaverse
Ever since Facebook Inc’s rebrand as Meta, the term metaverse has become the new buzzword in the tech space.
Trailblazing this new frontier is Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who is triggering a new wave of interest in the metaverse.
Zuckerberg said: “In the metaverse, you’ll be able to do almost anything you can imagine — get together with friends and family, work, learn, play, shop, create — as well as completely new experiences that don’t fit how we think about computers or phones today.
“In this future, you will be able to teleport instantly as a hologram to be at the office without a commute, at a concert with friends, or in your parents' living room to catch up. This will open up more opportunities no matter where you live.
“You’ll be able to spend more time on what matters to you, cut down time in traffic, and reduce your carbon footprint,” he said.
Simply put, the end goal is an immersive virtual world where people live, work and socialise connected to VR devices in the comfort of their own home.