The Ericsson ConsumerLab survey reveals that 5G internet connection users spend more time in extended reality and metaverse apps and expect that these technologies will move to headsets in the next 2 years
Ericsson ConsumerLab conducted a survey that reveals 5G’s impact on early adopter consumers since the network was first launched.
The Survey, 5G: The Next Wave, measures the capability of 5G subscribers to embrace the technology and their anticipations as well. The company published a study showing the effects of advanced data transmission technologies such as the fifth generation of mobile technology on the metaverse and XR technology adoption.
5G paving the way for metaverse adoption
The Swedish Telecom hardware and service provider noted that 5G provides a good doorway to the metaverse’s utility and adoption.
Data from the survey reveals that 5G users spend more time on the metaverse accessing services such as playing games, socializing and buying digital items. When compared to 4G users, 5G users spend an extra hour a week on such metaverse services.
Head of Ericsson ConsumerLabs, Jasmeet Singh Sethi, notes that “It is interesting to note that 5G is emerging as an important enabler for early adopters to embrace metaverse-related services, such as socializing, playing and buying digital items in interactive 3D virtual gaming platforms. The amount of time spent on augmented reality apps by 5G users has also doubled over the past two years.”
It is likely for 5G users with an extended reality (XR) functionality experience to adopt future devices since they are more optimistic about the potential of mixed reality glasses. These users already expect two more hours of video content consumption weekly on mobile devices. One and a half hours will be through AR or VR glasses by 2025.
5G pushes for AR and enhanced video
When compared to 4G users, 5G users continue to interact with immersive digital services. As compared to 2020, twice as many 5G users now engage in not less than three digital services.
The research shows over the past two years 5G users spend more time on Augmented Reality (AR) and enhanced video such as HF/4K multi-view. The 5G users interact with the AR apps for an extra two hours a week more than the 4G users. This time has increased when compared with 2020, where the 5G users spent one extra hour more than the 4G users.
5G: The Next Wave
The survey which is apparently the largest 5G global consumer study to date, involved 49,100 consumers from 37 markets globally. The population represented 1.7 billion consumers including 430 million 5G users globally.
From the study, 510 million users of smartphones have plans to upgrade to the 5G subscription in 2023. 82% of smartphone users have no plans to cut mobile broadband costs. Also eight-in-ten 5G users do not intend to go back to using the 4G network connectivity.
From these numbers, Ericsson believes by the end of 2023 there is a likelihood of having 1.67 billion 5G subscribers globally.
The 5G users actually anticipate the metaverse shifting to more immersive platforms in the near future. 6 out of 10 5G users believe the fifth generation of mobile technology will aid the metaverse to actualize its full potential.
Exploring the metaverse space
Metaverse is quite an interesting space that has captured the interest of many different companies and nations. Just recently Microsoft partnered with Meta to bring Microsoft’s applications and features such as Office, Windows and Xbox cloud gaming into the Metaverse through the Quest VR headsets. The partnership will enable people to work and game in the virtual reality space. Microsoft will bring its biggest services to Meta’s Quest virtual reality headsets.
The UAE nation recently also announced a third address in the virtual world within the metaverse. The third address now acts as a headquarter with a multiple-story building feature. Each of the story buildings serves a different purpose. Anyone in the world can visit the space within the metaverse.
With all these moves and anticipation from communities, the metaverse is most likely to actualize.
