The new name for Facebook is ‘Meta’. We are not talking about the new name for the social network, but we are talking about the company Facebook, which consists of Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook and Oculus, among others. We explain why there is a new name.
Facebook is now ‘Meta’
Facebook is much more than just Facebook, that is explained in one sentence why Meta had to be the new name. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg explained early this year that the future of his company lies in a variety of products and services. Smart Ray-Ban glasses, smart speakers, watches, virtual reality (VR) and social networks.
Zuckerberg then literally used the word ‘metaverse’ and now he is announcing the name change to ‘Meta’, according to a blog post. Meta’s announcement immediately makes it clear that social media will not stop at 2D screens, but that virtual environments will play an important role. That’s where Oculus will come into play.
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Criticism from Oculus users
There was previously controversy because users of Oculus VR headsets were suddenly obliged to log in via Facebook. In addition, there was also criticism of the data that Facebook collects via the headsets. According to a statement to The Verge These tensions led to the name change to Meta. A name that is seen more separately from the social network Facebook. In the meantime, the well-known sign with the thumb next to the former Facebook headquarters has also been exchanged for a ‘Meta sign’.
Meta even goes so far as to rebrand the Oculus Quest and the Facebook Portal smart speaker as the Meta Quest and Meta Portal. There will also be a new login method for VR headsets, other than logging in with your Facebook account. This is evident from a Facebook post from Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth.
Alphabet and Snap
Facebook isn’t the first major tech company to rename the umbrella company for its products and services. Such a name helps to make a clearer distinction and it is also more interesting for communication towards shareholders. Google therefore became Alphabet in 2015 and Snapchat is called Snap.
What do you think of the new name? Will Meta be able to shake off the criticism Facebook has received about privacy scandals and its corporate culture? Let us know in the comments at the bottom of this article.
– Thanks for information from Androidworld.