Rumors had been swirling for a bit that Facebook, the social networking giant, was planning to rebrand in a major way. Starting with its name. And, indeed, it turns out those rumors were right on the money because today the company has confirmed those plans.
Facebook is now known as Meta.
Welcome to the metavers, one might say. And, indeed, that’s how big the not-Facebook sees this shift. Today, during its announcement, Meta, previously Facebook, says the new shift is being a “social technology company.” Indeed, this is a new company brand, where all of Meta’s services will exist. So this is where Facebook, the social network, and Messenger, the messaging service, and Instagram, the photo- and video-sharing network, will now exist.
All under the Meta umbrella. From today’s announcement:
The metaverse will feel like a hybrid of today’s online social experiences, sometimes expanded into three dimensions or projected into the physical world. It will let you share immersive experiences with other people even when you can’t be together — and do things together you couldn’t do in the physical world. It’s the next evolution in a long line of social technologies, and it’s ushering in a new chapter for our company.
So, moving forward, Facebook the company is now known as Meta. Meanwhile, Facebook the social network will continue to exist as it is, alongside Instagram, WhatsApp, Oculus, and more.
According to Mark Zuckerberg, this change in company name is a change not so much in company scope, but rather a forward-facing change to show just how big the company’s goals really are. “Facebook” fits with the social network, sure, but Meta is about going much, much bigger. It’s meant to encompass not just what the company is offering now, but what is still in the works.
Zuckerberg says, going forward, it’s a “metaverse first,” not “Facebook first.”
What do you think of the change?