Meta, Microsoft, Alibaba, Others Form Metaverse Governing Body; Apple's Name Missing

Meta Platforms Inc META, Microsoft Corp MSFT, Alibaba Group Holding Limited BABA, and other tech giants striving to build the emerging metaverse concept have formed a group to foster the development of industry standards.
The initiatives look to make the companies' nascent digital worlds compatible.
The Metaverse Standards Forum includes leading companies working in the space, from chip makers to gaming companies, and established standards-setting bodies like the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
Apple Inc AAPL strangely missed the members' list, Reuters reports. Analysts touted Apple as a dominant player in the metaverse race, pending launching a mixed reality headset.
Interestingly, Apple CEO Tim Cook recently confirmed the iPhone maker's foray into the domain.
Meta had disclosed plans for launching a mixed-reality headset code-named "Cambria" in 2022.
Gaming companies Roblox Corp RBLX and Niantic and emerging crypto-based metaverse platforms like The Sandbox or Decentraland were missing from the list.
Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg defined the metaverse as an online world for solo participation in immersive experiences like attending concerts, purchasing digital goods, and communicating via avatars.
Zuckerberg saw the migration from online social media to a virtual world as the key to winning younger audiences.
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