According to a study, users who have 5G data services have spent more time in metaverse and extended reality applications, and they believe that these will migrate to headsets in the next two years.
Ericsson study finds 5G to be a metaverse enabler.
A recent study published by Ericsson, the Swedish telecommunications giant, examines the effects that powerful data transmission technologies – such as 5G – have on the adoption of metaverse and extended reality technologies. The study, which includes Ericsson tracking data since 2019, surveyed 49,000 consumers in 37 countries and is said to be representative of the opinions of 1.7 billion users worldwide.
Data from the study revealed that 5G users are more interested in immersive technologies than their 4G counterparts. 5G users already spend an hour more per week on metaverse-related platforms and services than 4G users. Also according to the report, 5G technology is expected to reach 510 million consumers this year, and the adoption of metaverses is therefore expected to increase accordingly.
Globally, six in ten 5G adopters believe the technology is “essential” for the metaverse to be fully realized. According to the study, carriers can benefit from integrating their own metaverse apps into 5G plans. Telefonica, a Spanish carrier, and NTT Docomo, a Japanese carrier, are already taking steps to be able to offer metaverse experiences to their users in the future.
Migration to metaverses is expected
However, 5G data users believe in one thing according to the study: The metaverse will surely migrate to other more immersive platforms in the future. The survey found that half of 5G customers who already use metaverse and extended reality apps believe these services will migrate to XR (extended reality) headsets within the next two years.
The survey results were surprising for the company. In this regard, Jasmeet Singh Sethi, head of consumerlab at Ericsson, said:
Interestingly, 5G is emerging as an important enabler for early adopters of metaverse-related services, such as socializing, gaming, and purchasing digital items in interactive virtual gaming platforms. In 3D. The time spent by 5G users on augmented reality apps has also doubled over the past two years.