VR, luxury NFTs, Metaverse and more
The 2023 Consumer Electronics Show just wrapped up this weekend, and Web3 was a common theme among one of the year’s most important tech events. In previous years, it has gained a reputation among technology enthusiasts who are excited to see what the future holds for audio, video, mobile and computer hardware.
Despite the bear market challenges of the crypto and NFT sectors last year, the massive growth of Web3-ready markets worldwide continues. Reflecting this growth, CES 2023 went beyond Web3 gaming and other enthusiasts. In fact, several legacy brands took the time to up their commitment to building in Web3. In addition, several talks from industry leaders in the growing Web3 sector led panels at CES 2023, focusing on the future role of Web3 technologies in streaming, AI and more.
Previous years’ CES emphasized AI technology, new materials science, robotics, and the impact of intersecting advances on daily life, consumer lifestyles, entertainment, and new immersive ways to interact with work, friends, and loved ones. But this year, the event took these themes into Web3. An entire track of sessions focused on the metaverse and gaming, with individual conference sessions such as “Gaming to Lead Us Into the Metaverse”.
In particular, fashion and luxury were also prominent during CES 2023, with a discussion titled “Luxury Brands Embracing Innovation: How the Best of the Best Are Leaning Into AI, Metaverse, and Beyond”. The convention held a whole extra track with sessions on the creative economy and NFTs – with lectures on the issue of Web3 skepticism, lasting change and the paradigm shift needed for builders, collectors, artists and society to see the most life-threatening challenges as opportunities for growth, harmony and prosperous innovation.
LG’s market-leading hardware showcases the best of Web3-ready technology
Despite exiting the mobile phone market in early 2021, Korea-based tech giant LG has more than compensated for the loss of one of its most prominent businesses by doubling down on other industries and establishing itself as a market leader in the fast-growing display market in recent years . To extend its lead over competitors in the space, LG led the way in making innovative technologies such as OLED panels available to its consumer base. Judging by its stint at CES 2023, this year looks set to be more of the same for the Korea-based company.
As for displays, LG showed a truly innovative display that is sure to please even the most stingy pixel watchers on the TV market: a 97-inch OLED TV with no wires. Amidst all its eye-catching tech specs, one tidbit stood out about what looks set to be the most luxurious TV on the market: like all new LG TVs, it comes with access to multiple NFT marketplaces right out of the box. According to s Yahoo! report, LG TVs will now also come with access to several metaverse platforms such as Sansar, ELYNXIR and Auxworld.
Aside from shaking up the display market at CES 2023, LG also looked to be expanding its reach into the footwear market with the Monster Shoe, a collectible virtual sneaker set to launch with a range of shoe care-focused IRL products sometime in 2023, according to a CoinDesk report.
Mastercard unveils Web3-focused music incubator for tomorrow’s artists
Legacy payments company Mastercard unveiled its latest initiative at CES 2023: the Mastercard Artist Accelerator. The aim is to join the Red Bull Music Academy as one of the world’s leading incubators for the next generation of music superstars. However, what sets it apart from other emerging artist accelerator programs is its focus on equipping these budding artists with all the tools to succeed as a Web3 native artist.
As such, the planned curriculum is intended to provide “five new artists […] with the tools, skills and access to forge their own paths in the digital economy,” as stated on the official website. To make this happen, Mastercard has partnered with the Ethereum layer 2 network Polygon to handle the blockchain side of this initiative.Most notably, this includes the planned Mastercard Music Pass, an NFT pass that will make course materials related to the program’s curriculum—along with a host of other exclusive benefits—easily available to holders.
VR headset promises to make “Smell-o-Vision” a thing
Virtual Reality (VR) is obviously immersive by design, but today’s VR technology is primarily limited to engaging a user’s senses of sight and hearing. During the last decades, many players in the space have also experimented with the use of haptic technology. However, its implementation in today’s technology is mainly limited to mobile phones and gaming equipment such as Sony’s DualSense for the PS5. CES 2023 saw gaming-centric technology company Razer unveil Project Carol, a cushion designed for use in their range of gaming chairs. It provides users with haptic feedback for a limited implementation of surround sound speakers.
Given the relative limitations seen in the mainstream consumer electronics sector’s ability to engage a user’s senses, OVR Technology’s booth at CES 2023 was leaps and bounds ahead of anything else that debuted at the event. At their booth, OVR Technology debuted a VR headset capable of reproducing a wide range of scents and aromas, as reported by Fortune. It’s called ION 3, and it’s slated to hit the consumer market sometime in 2023. For years, OVR Technology has hyped up the power of scent, and this upcoming product looks to serve as a culmination of the company’s values and ideals in relation to that of technology role in our lives.
The headset, positioned by the company as a means of bringing spa-like experiences into VR, will reportedly come with eight different “scent cartridges,” which together can produce a wider palette of scents for the end user to enjoy. Used in conjunction with existing technologies implementing haptic feedback, those looking to delve into the metaverse may see opportunity rolling in for them sooner rather than later.
