‘Metaverse’ is a contender for Oxford’s Word of the Year

“Metaverse” is among the leading three contenders for Oxford’s Word of the Year (WotY). 

The metaverse is an unsurprising inclusion for WotY—not everyone understands it, but most will have at least heard the term.

Facebook changing its company name to Meta towards the end of 2021 undoubtedly led to increased awareness of the metaverse. Over the last year, the word has been thrown around a little too easily.

There is still some confusion around what...

23 November 2022 | Applications

Xbox and Apple execs criticise the ‘metaverse’

Recent comments from Xbox and Apple executives suggest the companies remain deeply critical of the metaverse.

Most current "metaverse" experiences are just online games looking to capitalise on the hype around the term. More technological advancements are needed to fully realise the metaverse.

One core principle of the metaverse is that it will mix elements from the real world with the virtual. A “digital twin” of a factory, for example, could enable workers to...

27 October 2022 | Digital Transformation

Zuckerberg believes Meta’s duty is to promote an open metaverse

During yesterday’s annual Meta keynote, CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared his belief that the metaverse must be open.

Zuckerberg called out closed ecosystems—a clear dig at Apple, without mentioning the company directly.

“Closed ecosystems focus on tight control and integration to create unique experiences and lock-in, although most of that value ends up flowing to the platform over time,” explained Zuckerberg.

“Open ecosystems create value and grow through...

12 October 2022 | Consumer IoT & Wearables

Eseye: The IoT is helping to counter the economic slowdown

Research from Eseye highlights the importance of the IoT in countering the global economic slowdown.

A quick look at the amount of red across the financial markets over the past year shows the scale of the global economic problems faced. Many countries are facing record inflation from pandemic measures and war once again rearing its ugly head.

The pandemic highlighted to many enterprises the benefits of the IoT in supporting operations in the most uncertain of times....

30 September 2022 | Digital Transformation

Inmarsat Fleet Xpress Enhanced supports maritime digital transformation

Inmarsat has launched Fleet Xpress Enhanced, a portfolio of connectivity products to support the digital transformation of the maritime industry.

The world’s oceans can be dangerous and unpredictable but are vital for shipping, food, transport, and research. IoT sensors can help with minimising risks while supporting critical operational and sustainability efforts.

“This latest evolution of Fleet Xpress is not a standard VSAT service – it is a versatile, fully...

4 May 2022 | Applications

Meta looks set to release four VR headsets by 2024

Meta looks set to release four VR headsets over the next couple of years as it continues to push its vision for the metaverse.

According to a roadmap obtained by The Information, Meta will release a variety of headsets spanning various price points.

The long-rumoured ‘Project Cambria’ high-end VR and mixed reality headset is expected to release around September this year. Cambria was originally set to release last year but was delayed due to the pandemic and supply...

3 May 2022 | Consumer IoT & Wearables

Survey: Adoption of digital transformation tech is accelerating

According to a survey of UK leaders conducted by bluQube, the adoption of digital transformation technologies is accelerating.

“So-called ‘future’ technologies, such as robotics or the Internet of Things, have now firmly entered the mainstream for businesses looking to grow and stand out from the chasing pack,” commented Simon Kearsley, CEO of bluQube.

Almost three-quarters (72%) of business leaders report their organisations have adopted mobile technology. An...

13 April 2022 | Digital Transformation

Inmarsat finds businesses are not using IoT data effectively

Satellite communications giant Inmarsat has found the vast majority of businesses are not using their IoT data effectively.

For its research, Inmarsat interviewed representatives from 450 organisations across the agriculture, electrical utilities, mining, oil and gas, and transport and logistics sectors.

86 percent of the respondents admitted their organisation is not using the data from IoT projects as effectively as possible.

Mike Carter, President of...

23 February 2022 | Digital Transformation

The growth of digitalisation with Industry 4.0

In recent years, significant growth in Industry 4.0 digitalisation has had a major impact on the manufacturing sector.

The shift from traditional, paper-based methods to more streamlined digital solutions is helping all kinds of manufacturers, from textiles and food to pharmaceuticals and industrial chemicals, boost their productivity, reduce costs and thus, become more operationally efficient.

Indeed, in a recent study by Getac and Statista, a quarter of US...

9 February 2022 | Digital Transformation

GlobalData: 75% of execs anticipate disruption from automation within 12 months

Three-quarters of executives are expecting their sector to be disrupted by automation within 12 months.

The findings come from research firm GlobalData which calls automation “no longer a distant dream”. Undoubtedly, the pandemic has sped up the adoption of automation as leaders seek to shelter their businesses in uncertain times and adapt to lasting societal changes.

Charlotte Dunlap, Principal Analyst at GlobalData, said:

“The pandemic has shown us just...

4 February 2022 | Digital Transformation