Facebook said it's rebranding itself as Meta -- much like Google re-created itself as Alphabet -- to house its services and products. Tying into the idea of a metaverse, Zuckerberg said that the word "meta" comes from the Greek word meaning "beyond" and that "it symbolizes that there is always more to build."
Intended to be a virtual world where people work, play, learn and connect, what does the rebranding mean for the apps and services that Facebook owns, such as Instagram or WhatsApp? We'll explain what you can expect. And here's what Oculus' CTO thinks about Facebook's rebranding and everything else that was announced at Facebook's Connect conference this week.Â
Will Meta change the name of the Facebook app and service?
No. Facebook, the social media app and service, will keep the same name. Only the umbrella company that oversees all the different apps is changing to Meta.
"Our mission remains the same, still about bringing people together. Our apps and their brands, they're not changing either," Facebook's CEO, Mark Zuckerburg, said during Thursday's virtual event.Â
What about renaming Instagram and WhatsApp?
Don't look for any name changes to Instagram and WhatsApp either, but you can expect the apps to now fall under the Meta parent company.Â
Will Oculus change?
Here is one that is changing. Zuckerberg said the Oculus name used for the company's virtual reality headsets and service will change to Meta Quest and the Meta Quest app early next year.