I think another mistake is people thinking metaverse = VR. Metaverse is a catch all term for the post-smartphone internet. Things like the RayBan glasses, Orion, that EMG wristband they showed at connect, etc. are all part of that.
I'd argue that there is 0 evidence so far that there will be a "post-smartphone internet", at least in the near/mid term.
Sure, those wearables may find niche use cases, but Zuckerberg definitely believed that the "Metaverse" (god I hate that term) would be the Next Big Computing Platform, as significant as the switch from desktops and laptops to smartphones. That has certainly not happened, and lots of people, myself included, still feel that all of these other devices are at best a "oh, that's cool" for a bit before ending up in a drawer somewhere, or at worst an undesired annoyance.
Agreed, but unrelated to if Meta/Zuck are right or successful, thinking of the metaverse as just a VR play is wrong and also underestimates the scope of the project.
