Will Metaverse Be NextG Internet? Vision, Hype, and Reality

Metaverse, with the combination of the prefix “meta” (meaning transcending) and the word “universe,” has been deemed as a hypothetical next-generation (NextG) Internet. It aims to create a shared virtual space that connects all virtual worlds via the Internet, where users, represented as digital avatars, can communicate and collaborate as if they are in the physical world. Nevertheless, there is still no unified definition of the Metaverse. This article first reviews what has been heavily advocated by the industry and the positions of various high-tech companies. It then presents our vision of what the key requirements of Metaverse should be. After that, it briefly introduces existing social virtual reality (VR) platforms that can be viewed as early prototypes of the Metaverse, and conducts a reality check by diving into the network operation and performance of two representative platforms: Workrooms from Meta and AltspaceVR from Microsoft. Finally, it concludes by discussing several opportunities and future directions for further innovation.