Mobile World Congress: Mark Zuckerberg says virtual reality is the future

Virtual reality is the future of communicating and socialising, says Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg.

The billionaire founder of the social network called headset-based technology “the next platform”, during a surprise appearance at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

“At Facebook we think about giving people richer tools,” he said.

“Going back 10 years most of what we shared was text, and then it was photos. And now we’re entering a world where that’s video. But pretty soon we’re going to live in a world where everyone has the power to share and experience whole scenes as if you’re right there in person.”

Facebook, which bought VR firm Oculus in 2014 for $2bn (€1.8bn), has since partnered with Samsung for the Gear VR headset, which works by slotting a Samsung Galaxy smartphone into it to use as a screen.

“VR is the next platform, where anyone can create and experience anything they want,” said Zuckerberg.

“Right now, VR is mostly used for games and entertainment, but that’s quickly evolving, and one day you’re going to be able to put on a headset and that’s going to change the way that you live, work, and communicate.

“So imagine being able to sit in front of a campfire and hang out with your friends any time that you want, or watch a movie in a private theatre with your friends any time you want. Imagine holding a group meeting or event anywhere that you want.

“All these things are going to be possible, and that’s why Facebook is investing so much early on in virtual reality, so we can help to deliver these kind of social experiences.”

Zuckerberg explained that he wants to capture his daughter’s formative experiences using 360-degree video, which can then be viewed in VR.