Chinese Internet giant Baidu on Monday launched in his country one of the first applications of the “metaverse”, this parallel virtual world that is the next big leap in the evolution of the Internet.
A “metaverse” (metaverse contraction in English), is a kind of digital underlay of the physical world, accessible via the Internet.
This concept, which is still in its infancy, should make it possible to free itself from physical limitations by augmenting human interactions via 3D.
The opportunities presented by the creation of a “new virtual world” whet the appetites of digital giants. Facebook, which is making it its new business, has gone so far as to rename its parent company Meta.
Baidu, nicknamed “Chinese Google,” took its first steps in Metaverse Monday during the Metaverse conference with its president, Robin Lee, in front of an audience of avatars.
The event coincided with the launch of the group’s metaverse app.
Called XiRang (“Land of Hope”), it allows you to create a digital avatar and interact with other users in a 3D world.
The application can be accessed on a mobile phone, computer or virtual reality headset.
In XiRang, users are free to move amid fake natural places or a fantasy city.
Just like in real life, they can visit a (virtual) gallery or replica of Shaolin Temple – the mecca of kung fu – or even take a dip in a digital swimming pool.
The XiRang app is only available in China.
Baidu had been working on this project long before the term metaverse became popular in October after Facebook decided to rename its group Meta.
Like Baidu, Chinese digital giants have no intention of staying on the fringes of metaverses.
ByteDance (TikTok) has invested in several companies in this sector, including virtual reality headset manufacturer Pico.
Tencent operates online on its metaverse platform, backed by its experience in video games in which it plays a major role.
As for Chinese e-commerce champion Alibaba, he has set up a subsidiary to think about the various opportunities that the metaverse offers.
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