Metaverse Is 'A Word I'll Never Use,' Apple Exec Says Echoing Snap Founder's Sentiment

Snap Inc. SNAP and Apple Inc. AAPL are buying into the metaverse hype. 

However, two key executives at both companies aren't.

What Happened: Snap founder Evan Spiegel blasted the idea that the future of computing will migrate into a virtual world dubbed as metaverse. He argued that most people prefer a lighter touch, that is, augmented reality.

See Also: How To Buy Snapchat Stock

Spiegel was speaking at The Wall Street Journal Conference, Tech Live in California, reported Bloomberg. 

"The metaverse is 'living inside of a computer.' The last thing I want to do when I get home from work during a long day is live inside of a computer. There is a clear fork in the road between VR and AR," Spiegel said.

Later at the same event, Apple marketing chief Greg Joswiak echoed the sentiment, saying the metaverse is "a word I'll never use." 

The Cupertino, California-based tech giant has been working on AR and VR at least since 1995. It is expected to launch a VR headset with passthrough AR features for professionals at a hefty $3,000 next year. 

Why It's Important: Spiegel's argument diverges from the more comprehensive vision of the metaverse embraced by Meta Platforms Inc.'s META CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the report noted. 

The entire debate accentuates an ongoing broader discussion regarding the future of computing as the growth in the smartphone era dwindles. 

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