Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is betting big on virtual reality headsets. At the MWC 2016, during Samsung's Unpacked event, Zuckerberg revealed that VR is set to be the platform of the future.
Judging by what Zuckerberg says, Oculus VR — which is owned by Facebook — is going to potentially alter technology, including the manner in which one connects with the world around them.
"VR is the next platform where anyone can experience anything they want. It's going to change the way we live and work and communicate," noted Zuckerberg.
Zuckerberg shared that he had begun drawing out what at the time seemed to be an improbable vision of VR when he was as little as 11 years old. However, this vision is now turning into reality.
The Facebook CEO envisions sitting around a virtual campfire with friends from all over the globe, sharing the firsts of a baby in a 360-degree view or seeing a movie together. The VR is set to become the future of social media and Samsung and Facebook will be at its core.
With this far-sighted goal in mind, Zuckerberg is forecasting that with the vision expanding and the industry looking beyond smartphones and tablets, the Oculus VR venture, which is set to ship the $600 Oculus Rift VR headsets in March, could lay the groundwork for the future.
Watching videos in 360 degrees in VR can often be blurry or grainy or, if it is high quality, then it loads slowly. However, thanks to Facebook's dynamic technology for streaming content from the Oculus Gear VR, things could change dramatically.
This technology basically used several video copies in multiple resolutions to ensure that the viewing version is with the best quality, whereas the video on one's periphery is of a lower quality. The adjustments are made on the go as one moves their head around while viewing the scene.
Seeing dynamic streaming technology in use makes one realize that this is something every VR platform would benefit from.
At the MWC 2016, during the Galaxy S7 press event in Barcelona, the attendees were greeted with their own Gear VR headset at the Samsung venue. People were encouraged to wear the headset and then Zuckerberg made his surprise entry.
An image posted to Zuckerberg's Facebook account went viral, giving a glimpse of what the future of technology could hold. Will it be the next best thing? We don't know. Will it redefine the future — for good or worse? Yes.
