Telefónica and Meta pitch VR to the elderly

Together the two companies will develop mixed reality experiences tailored towards older people. Participants will be able to learn new digital skills, and engage in virtual social interaction and cognitive development experiences. All the lessons will be delivered at face-to-face workshops in an informative and entertaining format – such as visits to virtual art exhibits and leisure activities.

The content is hosted on Telefónica's metaverse-based portal, the Movistar Immersive Experience application.

Meta and Telefónica aren't just stopping at content though. They recognise some older users might have mobility issues and eyesight problems. As such, they have adapted the Meta Quest 3 devices themselves to make them easier to use, which includes incorporating a voice assistant.

"Our goal at Meta is to enable everyone to benefit from immersive technologies, which open up endless possibilities and allow for a much closer and unique connection with our family, friends and the things that matter to us," said Jose Luis Zimmerman, director of public affairs at Meta. "That is why we are delighted to support this project with Telefónica, which also puts the focus on those people who are not familiar with these new technologies, so that they can be part of this future that is already here and can live experiences that would otherwise not be possible."

The scheme falls under the auspices of the Telefónica Foundation's 'Reconnected' programme, which is tasked with improving digital literacy – and by extension inclusion – among older people.

Telefónica and Meta have been working closely together on metaverse-related projects since Mobile World Congress 2022.

Back then, when the metaverse hype train had built up a head of steam, they hatched a plan to establish the Metaverse Innovation Hub. Its aim is to accelerate the development of metaverse-ready networks and devices through trials of user cases, devices and more.

Start-ups can get access to a 5G end-to-end testbed and have the ability to tap up experts from Telefónica's Innovation and Talent Hub, based at its Madrid headquarters.

Since launch, the silence from the Metaverse Innovation Hub has been deafening, in all likelihood because the tech start-up scene – and the venture capital money hose – has long since turned its attention to generative AI.

Telefónica has continued to plug away at the metaverse though, launching the aforementioned Movistar Immersive Experience – a VR-based portal that offers access to a catalogue of metaverse experiences. It also has a presence in Meta's Horizon Worlds, and it also hosts virtual events on metaverse platform Spatial.

However, that doesn't count for much if nobody's using it.

According to IDC, AR/VR headset shipments in 2023 are on track to decline compared to last year – with Q2 volume slumping a considerable 44.2 percent year-on-year.

It's going to take more than handful of silver surfers to save the metaverse.