Facebook and Oculus to launch app for social VR sooner than expected

Facebook has decided to make use of its Oculus to show its side of virtual reality arm with their intention to change the way interactions on social media are carried out. There are indications that they may be doing that earlier than we had forecasted.

It came as surprise to many when Facebook acquired Oculus for $2 billion in 2014. The confusion on many lips was what in the world would the social media do with Oculus that is in the business of producing VR headsets. Facebook considers it a leap into the future in an effort to make sure the social network remains on top when it came to social communication that happens online.

The company wants to be able to find out what social networks online will look like in the next 10-20 years when there is every likelihood that people may not be using monitors, keyboards or mouse to do so. With the mainstream social VR, Facebook is working day and night to get the first of its kind earlier than we thought.

The company has been carrying out prototypes to come up with an experience in virtual reality for social interaction that is next to none. The first time they had such was during the conference in April hosted by Facebook where people that came for the event were able to take selfies virtually, together make a visit to photospheres as well as draw their own avatars for interactive accessories.

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook at an Oculus event in the early part of the month revealed their latest iteration prototype for VR that had such features as videospheres, avatars, with an added advantage of making video calls that is between the virtual world and real world with the help of Facebook Messenger.

Mike Booth, the company’s product manager for VR product at the session during the Connect event made some demonstrations which had impressive performances that wowed the audience.

Booth when asked if the company would want to release the VR yet or wait and make it part of an offering that the company will launch, he said that the public should expect to have access to it as soon as possible. The reason for this he said is because the company wants to get reactions from the users on what they think about the VR experience. He, however, did not indicate that the release will be made this year.

He also said that the team involved in the VR production had carried out experiments of various spaces and activities for friends to use the virtual reality to do such things as playing of tabletop games and be able to decorate their apartments to the taste they want. He pointed out that they had to remove some of it to make sure that the only thing there for now are those things that Facebook offers.

Oculus may have seemed to be a forgotten issue, but with what the company has shown us recently, we all are eager to get our hands of their VR platform.