Month: July 2023
US Spies Are Lobbying Congress To Save a Phone Surveillance ‘Loophole’
An effort by United States lawmakers to prevent government agencies from domestically tracking citizens without a search warrant is facing opposition internally from one of its largest intelligence services. From a report: Republican and Democratic aides familiar with ongoing defense-spending negotiations in Congress say officials at the National Security Agency (NSA) have approached lawmakers charged with its oversight about opposing an amendment that would prevent it from paying companies for location data instead of obtaining a warrant in court. Introduced by US representatives Warren Davidson and Sara Jacobs, the amendment would prohibit US military agencies from “purchasing data that would otherwise require a warrant, court order, or subpoena” to obtain. The ban would cover more than half of the US intelligence community, including the NSA, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the newly formed National Space Intelligence Center, among others.
The House approved the amendment in a floor vote over a week ago during its annual consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act, a “must-pass” bill outlining how the Pentagon will spend next year’s $886 billion budget. Negotiations over which policies will be included in the Senate’s version of the bill are ongoing. In a separate but related push last week, members of the House Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to advance legislation that would extend similar restrictions against the purchase of Americans’ data across all sectors of government, including state and local law enforcement. Known as the “Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act,” the bill will soon be reintroduced in the Senate as well by one of its original 2021 authors, Ron Wyden, the senator’s office confirmed. “Americans of all political stripes know their Constitutional rights shouldn’t disappear in the digital age,” Wyden says, adding that there is a “deep well of support” for enshrining protections against commercial data grabs by the government “into black-letter law.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
An effort by United States lawmakers to prevent government agencies from domestically tracking citizens without a search warrant is facing opposition internally from one of its largest intelligence services. From a report: Republican and Democratic aides familiar with ongoing defense-spending negotiations in Congress say officials at the National Security Agency (NSA) have approached lawmakers charged with its oversight about opposing an amendment that would prevent it from paying companies for location data instead of obtaining a warrant in court. Introduced by US representatives Warren Davidson and Sara Jacobs, the amendment would prohibit US military agencies from “purchasing data that would otherwise require a warrant, court order, or subpoena” to obtain. The ban would cover more than half of the US intelligence community, including the NSA, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the newly formed National Space Intelligence Center, among others.
The House approved the amendment in a floor vote over a week ago during its annual consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act, a “must-pass” bill outlining how the Pentagon will spend next year’s $886 billion budget. Negotiations over which policies will be included in the Senate’s version of the bill are ongoing. In a separate but related push last week, members of the House Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to advance legislation that would extend similar restrictions against the purchase of Americans’ data across all sectors of government, including state and local law enforcement. Known as the “Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act,” the bill will soon be reintroduced in the Senate as well by one of its original 2021 authors, Ron Wyden, the senator’s office confirmed. “Americans of all political stripes know their Constitutional rights shouldn’t disappear in the digital age,” Wyden says, adding that there is a “deep well of support” for enshrining protections against commercial data grabs by the government “into black-letter law.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Looks like the Zuck vs Musk fight isn’t happening
Sad news for fans of billionaires beating the paste out of one another. It looks like the Mark Zuckerberg vs Elon Musk cage match isn’t happening, according to exclusive audio heard by Reuters. In an audio recording exclusively provided to the publication, the surprisingly buff Zuckerberg told Meta employees at a company town hall that he’s “not sure if it’s going to come together.”Zuckerberg’s comments on the match occurred during a company-wide discussion regarding Meta’s recently-launched Twitter rival, Threads, which has been stuttering a bit in the weeks since blasting onto the scene.Zuck didn’t actually say the match is off, just that it remains unlikely. So keep that glass half full, fight fans. Musk, who loves the letter “X” more than most people love clean air, hasn’t issued a response, but given Zuckerberg’s recent penchant for jiu jitsu, he could be relieved. The cage fight was supposed to be a glitzy Las Vegas affair, with the pair of billionaires dancing around the topics of date and venue for the past month or so. Zuckerberg has seemed pretty serious about the fight from the get-go, and Musk eventually relented, tweeting (x-ing?) that he was “up for a cage match” if the Meta CEO was. Musk also said he has this “great move” called “the walrus” where he lays on top of opponents and does nothing. Zuck certainly seemed ready to take on the challenge, according to trainer and MMA legend Alex Volkanovsky. And though he generally treated the whole thing as a joke, Musk did sort of prepare for the fight by accepting a training offer from UFC champ Georges St-Pierre and sparring with podcaster Lex Fridman. Of course, that’s when he’s taking a break from retweeting (re-xing?) hateful anti-trans content and changing the site’s rules to allow for misgendering. Dana White, president of the UFC, has also told reporters that the organization was ready to assist with the event. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/looks-like-the-zuck-vs-musk-fight-isnt-happening-195538503.html?src=rss
Sad news for fans of billionaires beating the paste out of one another. It looks like the Mark Zuckerberg vs Elon Musk cage match isn’t happening, according to exclusive audio heard by Reuters. In an audio recording exclusively provided to the publication, the surprisingly buff Zuckerberg told Meta employees at a company town hall that he’s “not sure if it’s going to come together.”
Zuckerberg’s comments on the match occurred during a company-wide discussion regarding Meta’s recently-launched Twitter rival, Threads, which has been stuttering a bit in the weeks since blasting onto the scene.
Zuck didn’t actually say the match is off, just that it remains unlikely. So keep that glass half full, fight fans. Musk, who loves the letter “X” more than most people love clean air, hasn’t issued a response, but given Zuckerberg’s recent penchant for jiu jitsu, he could be relieved.
The cage fight was supposed to be a glitzy Las Vegas affair, with the pair of billionaires dancing around the topics of date and venue for the past month or so. Zuckerberg has seemed pretty serious about the fight from the get-go, and Musk eventually relented, tweeting (x-ing?) that he was “up for a cage match” if the Meta CEO was. Musk also said he has this “great move” called “the walrus” where he lays on top of opponents and does nothing.
Zuck certainly seemed ready to take on the challenge, according to trainer and MMA legend Alex Volkanovsky. And though he generally treated the whole thing as a joke, Musk did sort of prepare for the fight by accepting a training offer from UFC champ Georges St-Pierre and sparring with podcaster Lex Fridman. Of course, that’s when he’s taking a break from retweeting (re-xing?) hateful anti-trans content and changing the site’s rules to allow for misgendering. Dana White, president of the UFC, has also told reporters that the organization was ready to assist with the event.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/looks-like-the-zuck-vs-musk-fight-isnt-happening-195538503.html?src=rss
The Best Ice Cream to Order Online – CNET
We all deserve good ice cream. Here are the best places to order it online.
We all deserve good ice cream. Here are the best places to order it online.
NASA Launches Its Own Streaming Platform
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‘Final Fantasy XIV’ comes to Xbox next spring
It took a decade, but Square Enix’s premier massively multiplayer online role-playing game is finally coming to Xbox consoles. The developer has revealed that Final Fantasy XIV will be available for Xbox Series X/S in spring 2024. Like its PS5 counterpart, this version will support 4K visuals on Series X and faster loading times. It’s not yet clear if there will be Xbox-only upgrades.An open beta is expected for patch 6.5X. In other words, the Xbox port should be ready in time for the Dawntrail expansion due in summer next year.FINAL FANTASY XIV is coming to Xbox. pic.twitter.com/aDen8UtwRC— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) July 28, 2023Microsoft has been eager to add Final Fantasy games to its catalog. In 2019, it added 10 titles to Game Pass that included many of the releases from VII through to XV. The deluge didn’t include XIV, however, leaving Xbox players without an active MMO. The game debuted on PS3 and PC in 2013, with ports for PS4 (2014), Mac (2015) and PS5 (2021) in subsequent years.The incentives are clear. Final Fantasy XIV helps court fans of the series, particularly those left out by the timed PS5 exclusive for XVI. It’s also an attempt to reach out to both Japanese gamers and JRPG enthusiasts. The Xbox has struggled in Japan due in no small part to local studios skipping the platform in favor of domestic consoles from Nintendo and Sony. This game won’t suddenly improve Microsoft’s fortunes, but it does eliminate a barrier to adoption for some players.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/final-fantasy-xiv-comes-to-xbox-next-spring-192903645.html?src=rss
It took a decade, but Square Enix’s premier massively multiplayer online role-playing game is finally coming to Xbox consoles. The developer has revealed that Final Fantasy XIV will be available for Xbox Series X/S in spring 2024. Like its PS5 counterpart, this version will support 4K visuals on Series X and faster loading times. It’s not yet clear if there will be Xbox-only upgrades.
An open beta is expected for patch 6.5X. In other words, the Xbox port should be ready in time for the Dawntrail expansion due in summer next year.
FINAL FANTASY XIV is coming to Xbox. pic.twitter.com/aDen8UtwRC
— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) July 28, 2023
Microsoft has been eager to add Final Fantasy games to its catalog. In 2019, it added 10 titles to Game Pass that included many of the releases from VII through to XV. The deluge didn’t include XIV, however, leaving Xbox players without an active MMO. The game debuted on PS3 and PC in 2013, with ports for PS4 (2014), Mac (2015) and PS5 (2021) in subsequent years.
The incentives are clear. Final Fantasy XIV helps court fans of the series, particularly those left out by the timed PS5 exclusive for XVI. It’s also an attempt to reach out to both Japanese gamers and JRPG enthusiasts. The Xbox has struggled in Japan due in no small part to local studios skipping the platform in favor of domestic consoles from Nintendo and Sony. This game won’t suddenly improve Microsoft’s fortunes, but it does eliminate a barrier to adoption for some players.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/final-fantasy-xiv-comes-to-xbox-next-spring-192903645.html?src=rss
Galaxy S23 FE leak suggests it may have slow wireless charging speed
A recent post on the WPC website reveal a 4.4 watt wireless charging speed, but there’s a good chance it could be more.
Newly leaked information for the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE (Fan Edition) indicates the upcoming budget smartphone may charge very slowly – at least wirelessly.
A listing for the device recently appeared on the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC), a website created to promote wireless charging and its various standards. It shows the GalaxyS23 FE has been given a “maximum received power” rating of 4.4 watts. According to some theorizing by 9to5Google, it may take “three or more hours” to fully charge the phone using a wireless charger. There’s no information on how long it would take to charge through a USB-C connection.
That’s certainly a long time just to charge a smartphone battery, especially in 2023. Anker, a company specializing in power banks and charges, states the average charge for a phone is around 30 minutes to an hour. So what gives? We don’t really know. Although to be fair, there is a good chance Samsung will equip the Galaxy S23 FE with tech to boost its charging capabilities. The last time the company launched a Fan Edition phone was Galaxy S21 FE, which supports 15W wireless charging. That’s not greased lighting, but it’s still better than what we’re seeing in this leak.
Imminent launch
It is worth pointing out Justin Hume, Vice-President of Samsung Mobile in South Africa, recently told Android Authority that “there is an FE-sized gap between the Galaxy A54 5G and Galaxy S23”. Hume goes on to say there will be “an announcement made” for a new Fan Edition device. He never gives a date; although the WPC post has a registration date of July 25. Some online theorize the date could mean Samsung is finishing up its paperwork before formally announcing the model.
Putting two and two together, there’s a good chance the reveal is coming sooner rather than later.
The listing also has what appears to be an image for the S23 FE on someone’s desk. The quality isn’t great, but it does showcase the front of the phone displaying the bezels around the screen plus the buttons on the right side. There’s no photo of the the rear, unfortunately, so what the rear lenses look like remains a mystery. Recent renders suggest the Galaxy S23 FE will have a camera system similar to the standard Galaxy S23.
As always, take this information with a grain of salt. We do believe the S23 FE will have better wireless charging capabilities even if the WPC post says otherwise. Presuming Justin Hume’s statement is true, the world will know for sure soon.
Be sure to check out TechRadar’s list of the best cheap smartphones for 2023.
Maine Lawmakers Approve Bill to Boost Offshore Wind Development
Maine moved a step closer to becoming the East Coast’s first floating offshore wind location after lawmakers approved a bill paving the way for deep-water development. From a report: The bill, approved Wednesday, includes pathways for utility companies to purchase wind power and for developers to build port infrastructure using local workers, a detail that prompted Governor Janet Mills’ veto last month. She is expected to sign the bill in the coming days. The state has a goal to install 3 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2040, bringing Maine closer to its goal of powering its grid with 100% renewable energy by that year. The bill would help Maine contribute to the Biden administration’s target of deploying 15 gigawatts of floating offshore wind by 2035.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Maine moved a step closer to becoming the East Coast’s first floating offshore wind location after lawmakers approved a bill paving the way for deep-water development. From a report: The bill, approved Wednesday, includes pathways for utility companies to purchase wind power and for developers to build port infrastructure using local workers, a detail that prompted Governor Janet Mills’ veto last month. She is expected to sign the bill in the coming days. The state has a goal to install 3 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2040, bringing Maine closer to its goal of powering its grid with 100% renewable energy by that year. The bill would help Maine contribute to the Biden administration’s target of deploying 15 gigawatts of floating offshore wind by 2035.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Underwater robots to revolutionize deep sea mining
The world is constantly evolving, with advancements in technology driving innovation across various industries. One such industry that is poised
The post Underwater robots to revolutionize deep sea mining appeared first on ReadWrite.
The world is constantly evolving, with advancements in technology driving innovation across various industries. One such industry that is poised for a high-tech future is deep sea mining. As the demand for metals like copper, cobalt, and nickel continues to rise, the need for sustainable and ethical mining practices becomes increasingly important. Enter underwater robots, the cutting-edge solution that could revolutionize the way we extract resources from the ocean floor.
Traditional mining methods have long been associated with environmental degradation and human rights concerns. Mines where valuable metals are extracted often leave a lasting impact on the surrounding ecosystems and communities. From deforestation to water pollution, these mining operations take a toll on the planet. Additionally, the mines are sometimes located in regions where child labor and other human rights violations are prevalent, further exacerbating the ethical dilemma.
Fortunately, an alternative source of these valuable metals exists in an unlikely place—the ocean floor. With vast reserves waiting to be tapped, underwater mining has the potential to meet the growing demand for these essential materials. However, tapping into this resource comes with its own set of challenges and ethical considerations.
One company at the forefront of developing sustainable underwater mining solutions is Impossible Metals. Their groundbreaking robot prototype, Eureka, could hold the key to responsible resource extraction. Renee Grogan, the co-creator of Impossible Metals, emphasizes the importance of preserving the delicate ecosystem on the seafloor while extracting valuable resources.
Eureka, the underwater robot, is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including artificial intelligence and an advanced retractable arm. During a test run in Lake Huron, Eureka demonstrated its ability to identify and extract metal nodules from the lakebed. The robot’s AI-driven arm delicately plucked the rocks, ensuring minimal disturbance to the surrounding environment.
Grogan explains that the AI-powered arm is capable of making decisions on whether to collect or leave a particular rock. This precision-driven approach minimizes the impact on the ecosystem, as only valuable nodules that do not contain animal products are collected. This sets underwater robots apart from traditional deep sea mining methods, which often involve dredging the ocean floor with giant robotic shovels, causing significant damage to marine life and habitats.
While Eureka’s test run in Lake Huron is a promising start, it represents just the beginning of Impossible Metals’ ambitious vision. The company aims to deploy a fleet of underwater vehicles capable of traveling up to four miles underwater. Each of these vehicles, costing approximately $5 million, will be equipped with cameras and arms to hover over the ocean floor, delicately collecting nodules without disturbing the sand or marine life.
The underwater mining process developed by Impossible Metals is akin to using tweezers rather than a bulldozer. This meticulous approach ensures that the extraction process is as environmentally friendly as possible, minimizing the negative impact on the ocean’s delicate ecosystems.
While underwater robots seem to offer a more responsible alternative to traditional mining methods, concerns regarding their feasibility and potential impact persist. The International Seabed Authority, established by the United Nations, holds the power to grant mining permits in areas such as the Clarion-Clipperton Zone. This zone, spanning approximately 2 million square miles of the Pacific Ocean, is rich in mineral deposits.
However, granting mining permits in this area could lead to extensive vacuuming of the ocean floor, potentially devastating the habitats of over 5,000 deep-sea species. Critics, including Douglas McCauley, an ocean scientist at the University of California Santa Barbara, warn against the irreversible damage that deep sea mining could inflict on marine life and the ocean’s delicate balance.
McCauley raises doubts about the feasibility of a more pinpointed approach to deep sea mining, like the one proposed by Impossible Metals. He questions whether it would be possible to extract resources with the required precision without causing unintended harm. However, Grogan remains confident in her company’s ability to navigate these challenges and move closer to a future where underwater robots are deployed on a commercial scale.
As the development of underwater robots continues to progress, the possibility of sustainable and ethical deep sea mining becomes increasingly realistic. Grogan envisions a future where underwater robots are widely deployed, revolutionizing the way we extract resources from the ocean floor. Within the next five years, she expects to see the technology reach commercial-scale implementation, potentially rendering the “Impossible” part of her company’s name obsolete.
In conclusion, underwater robots hold immense promise in ushering in a high-tech future for deep sea mining. With their precision-driven approach and advanced technology, these robots have the potential to revolutionize the industry while minimizing the negative impact on the environment. As the demand for metals continues to rise, it is crucial to prioritize sustainable and ethical mining practices. By harnessing the power of underwater robots, we can explore the vast resources of the ocean floor without causing irreparable damage to marine ecosystems. The future of deep sea mining is within reach, and underwater robots are leading the way towards a more sustainable and responsible approach to resource extraction.
First reported on CBS News
Frequently Asked Questions
What is deep sea mining, and why is it gaining attention?
Deep sea mining involves the extraction of valuable metals like copper, cobalt, and nickel from the ocean floor. It is gaining attention as traditional mining methods are associated with environmental degradation and human rights concerns. Deep sea mining offers an alternative source of these valuable metals and has the potential to meet the growing demand for essential materials.
How do underwater robots revolutionize deep sea mining?
Underwater robots, like the Eureka prototype developed by Impossible Metals, offer a more sustainable and ethical approach to resource extraction. Equipped with artificial intelligence and advanced retractable arms, these robots can delicately identify and extract metal nodules from the ocean floor, minimizing disruption to the surrounding environment and marine life.
What sets underwater robots apart from traditional deep sea mining methods?
Traditional deep sea mining methods often involve dredging the ocean floor with large robotic shovels, causing significant damage to marine life and habitats. Underwater robots, on the other hand, use a precision-driven approach, resembling “tweezers” rather than a “bulldozer.” This method ensures minimal impact on the ecosystem and reduces the negative effects of mining.
What is the potential impact of underwater robots on deep sea ecosystems?
The use of underwater robots offers a more environmentally friendly approach to deep sea mining, minimizing the negative impact on the ocean’s delicate ecosystems. The precision-driven extraction process ensures that only valuable nodules are collected, leaving behind less disruption.
What are some challenges and concerns regarding underwater mining with robots?
Concerns about the feasibility and potential impact of underwater mining with robots persist. Critics warn that even with a more pinpointed approach, unintended harm to deep-sea ecosystems could still occur. The International Seabed Authority plays a significant role in granting mining permits, and ensuring responsible mining practices is crucial.
What is the vision for the future of underwater mining with robots?
Companies like Impossible Metals envision a future where underwater robots are widely deployed on a commercial scale. They hope to revolutionize the industry by embracing sustainable and ethical mining practices, ensuring responsible resource extraction from the ocean floor.
How soon can we expect underwater robots to be used on a commercial scale for deep sea mining?
The development of underwater robots for deep sea mining is progressing rapidly. Within the next five years, companies like Impossible Metals anticipate commercial-scale implementation of their technology, moving closer to a future where underwater robots play a crucial role in sustainable resource extraction.
Why is sustainable and ethical deep sea mining important?
Sustainable and ethical deep sea mining is vital to minimize the environmental impact and protect marine ecosystems. By utilizing advanced technology like underwater robots, we can responsibly explore and extract resources from the ocean floor while addressing the growing demand for valuable metals.
What are the potential benefits of deep sea mining with underwater robots?
Deep sea mining with underwater robots offers access to vast reserves of valuable metals, helping to meet the rising global demand for these essential materials. It also presents an opportunity to transition away from traditional mining practices that have negative environmental and social consequences.
What is the significance of underwater robots in advancing technology and innovation in the mining industry?
Underwater robots represent a cutting-edge solution that can drive innovation in the mining industry. Their advanced technology, including artificial intelligence and precision-driven extraction methods, sets a new standard for sustainable and ethical mining practices. The development of underwater robots opens up possibilities for a high-tech future in deep sea mining while prioritizing environmental conservation and responsible resource extraction.
Featured Image Credit: Unsplash
The post Underwater robots to revolutionize deep sea mining appeared first on ReadWrite.
Meta’s Horizon Worlds mobile app might actually be launching soon
A screenshot from the Horizon Worlds game Super Rumble. | Image: Meta
Meta’s long-in-the-works mobile version of Horizon Worlds, its VR metaverse social platform, may finally launch soon, according to Friday’s Lowpass newsletter from Janko Roettgers.
We’ve been aware of Meta working on a mobile version of Horizon Worlds, the company’s metaverse social platform that is currently only available on its Quest VR devices, for quite some time, but it’s still not here. Apparently, the company had built a working version last year, but “we ended up not shipping it,” Vishal Shah, Meta’s metaverse VP, said in an interview with Roettgers. “It was a little bit too much of a VR game on mobile as opposed to a mobile-native experience.”
Shah didn’t tell Roettgers exactly when the app will be available on mobile, though. And I won’t be confident in an imminent release until Meta actually gives a specific timeline; at the end of January, Meta itself said the app would be coming to mobile and the web “soon,” but it’s still not here yet. Meta didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment on timing for the mobile and web apps.
Meta has a new in-Horizon game, Super Rumble
Shah did tell Roettgers that Super Rumble, a shooter game Meta just officially launched inside Horizon Worlds, will be among the first games beta tested for the platform on mobile. That game apparently looks much nicer than most experiences on the platform due to the fact that it “has been built with imported objects, assets and textures, something that wasn’t previously possible with Horizon,” Roettgers says. The ability to bring over imported assets will apparently be available to hand-picked developers to start and rolled out more widely down the line.
Horizon Worlds hasn’t yet been a huge hit for Meta. In October, CNBC reported that the platform had less than 200,00 users; Meta’s newly-launched Threads, on the other hand, surpassed 100 million users within days. That’s not even close to an apples-to-apples comparison — Threads is a free app for smartphones, while Horizon Worlds currently requires a Quest VR headset — but it goes to show just how different the scale is between the two platforms right now. (Meta’s metaverse work remains a money sink, with the company reporting a net loss of $3.7 billion for its Reality Labs division last quarter.)
A mobile version of Horizon Worlds could help Meta better compete with Fortnite and Roblox, which similarly let creators build social games and experiences. Interestingly, as Horizon Worlds is looking to mobile, Roblox is looking more at VR; Roblox just launched in open beta on Quest headsets on Thursday.
A screenshot from the Horizon Worlds game Super Rumble. | Image: Meta
Meta’s long-in-the-works mobile version of Horizon Worlds, its VR metaverse social platform, may finally launch soon, according to Friday’s Lowpass newsletter from Janko Roettgers.
We’ve been aware of Meta working on a mobile version of Horizon Worlds, the company’s metaverse social platform that is currently only available on its Quest VR devices, for quite some time, but it’s still not here. Apparently, the company had built a working version last year, but “we ended up not shipping it,” Vishal Shah, Meta’s metaverse VP, said in an interview with Roettgers. “It was a little bit too much of a VR game on mobile as opposed to a mobile-native experience.”
Shah didn’t tell Roettgers exactly when the app will be available on mobile, though. And I won’t be confident in an imminent release until Meta actually gives a specific timeline; at the end of January, Meta itself said the app would be coming to mobile and the web “soon,” but it’s still not here yet. Meta didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment on timing for the mobile and web apps.
Shah did tell Roettgers that Super Rumble, a shooter game Meta just officially launched inside Horizon Worlds, will be among the first games beta tested for the platform on mobile. That game apparently looks much nicer than most experiences on the platform due to the fact that it “has been built with imported objects, assets and textures, something that wasn’t previously possible with Horizon,” Roettgers says. The ability to bring over imported assets will apparently be available to hand-picked developers to start and rolled out more widely down the line.
Horizon Worlds hasn’t yet been a huge hit for Meta. In October, CNBC reported that the platform had less than 200,00 users; Meta’s newly-launched Threads, on the other hand, surpassed 100 million users within days. That’s not even close to an apples-to-apples comparison — Threads is a free app for smartphones, while Horizon Worlds currently requires a Quest VR headset — but it goes to show just how different the scale is between the two platforms right now. (Meta’s metaverse work remains a money sink, with the company reporting a net loss of $3.7 billion for its Reality Labs division last quarter.)
A mobile version of Horizon Worlds could help Meta better compete with Fortnite and Roblox, which similarly let creators build social games and experiences. Interestingly, as Horizon Worlds is looking to mobile, Roblox is looking more at VR; Roblox just launched in open beta on Quest headsets on Thursday.