The Future Of Social Networks Is Linked To Virtual Reality

Tech experts believe that virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with each other on social media networks.

The acquisition of Oculus by Facebook for $2 billion shows the high expectations of the emerging VR technology. Oculus is now a wholly owned Facebook's subsidiary. The tech company is well-known as a leading developer of consumer VR headsets.

According to Forbes, Facebook has been fairly quiet about its plans with the new VR technology. However, hints are beginning to emerge through the opinions of others in the field.

Before being purchased by Facebook, Oculus has already launched one consumer VR product called Gear VR. The gadget is basically a holder for a smarpthone, same as with Google's Cardboard headsets. The smartphone is the one generating the actual VR experiences rather than requiring an expensive PC. On its Oculus store, Facebook already allows its users to share 3D video content designed for the Gear VR.

This kind of cheap pioneering VR tech has spawned an industry of developers keen to show what can already be done drastically and lowered the barriers to entry into virtual worlds. Among these pioneering VR developers is Starship, the creator of the VTime app that allows users to meet up with friends in virtual reality. Inside one of VTime's worlds, users can socialize one with each other.

According to PCR, this year, the Wearable Technology Show had a dedicated VR section hosting VR headsets, gaming applications and developers. Starship's CMO Julian Price talked this week at the Wearable Technology Show in London about how VR could turn social networks into sociable networks.

According to Price, the key in this process will be the transition from computer, phone or tablet-based interactions into real-time, VR interactions. Rather than being asynchronous interactions as in the past, the new VR interactions bring participants in perfect synch.