Apple VR headset | Touch & Smell inside the Metaverse | Manchester City Football Club Metaverse Partnership with Sony & more

Here’s your weekly roundup of what’s happened this week in a simple, easily digestible email every Friday. Let’s get started.

"The metaverse is the future of human connection and creativity." - Roblox CEO David Baszucki”

–

Is Apple jumping into the Metaverse? It is reported that the tech giant will soon unveil its first mixed-reality headset (a hybrid between VR & AR). The Apple Reality Pro is anticipated to be a standalone headset that does not require a computer or phone to function. The price of this new technology is expected at around $3000. 

– 

VR experiences that simulate the sense of smell and touch were recently demonstrated at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).  OVR Technology showcased a VR headset with a compartment for eight scents to be released in 2023 and FireFlare Games announced plans to launch a VR dating app that incorporates touch sensations.

–

Manchester City Football Club is partnering with Sony to enter the metaverse, offering fans around the world a chance to experience a virtual version of the team's stadium and participate in new digital experiences. For now, the experience consists only of a virtual visit to the Etihad Stadium, with more to come in the future, such as the ability for fans to teleport into the virtual stadium using their own avatars.

–

In 2022, the Web3 industry received $7.1 billion in funding, with the Gaming, Metaverse, and Social Networks sectors being the most popular areas for investment, according to a report. Despite the bear market, the total funding in 2022 is $4.8 billion more than what was raised in 2021. Web3 gaming raised $4.49 billion in funding, while the Metaverse came second with $1.82 billion. 

–

Justin Hochberg, CEO of Virtual Brand Group, claims that the metaverse offers big companies the chance to expand their commerce position. The company aims to use the digital ecosystem to help big brands expand their reach and revenue streams, it already has partnerships with Forever 21, "The Voice" program, and Barbie.

–

See you next week for your weekly digest of metaverse news. This newsletter is brought to you by Metalinq - Let us know what you think of this newsletter on Twitter.

If you find this email useful you can forward this to your friends using the link below!