Stepping into the metaverse: opportunities and challenges in the future digital reality

This report is available to those subscribed to the Digital Consumer module.
The outbreak of Covid-19 spurred a digital evolution for many citizens, firms and industries. Alongside this, the use of the term ‘metaverse’ surged in 2021. Precisely what the metaverse will become remains to be seen: it may be an all-encompassing futuristic world of virtual reality (VR) and avatars, or alternatively just a richer, more immersive version of today’s online platforms and games, such as Fortnite or Minecraft. However, myriad potential use cases are foreseen as the metaverse unlocks access to new creative, social and economic opportunities. With MWC Barcelona 2022 on the horizon, there is huge interest in understanding and discussing this much-hyped topic and what it could herald.
Related research
GSMA Open Gateway: State of the Market, H1 2025
Representing 285 networks and almost 80% of mobile subscribers worldwide, 73 operator groups are now committed to GSMA Open Gateway. This latest research provides an update on the state of the market, recent developments, and examples of GSMA Open Gateway in action. It also offers a deep dive on supply/demand gap analysis.
Capitalising on smartphones as the leading digital playground: five priority areas for OEMs
Today, smartphones are the leading digital playground. According to our consumer survey, almost 80% of smartphone users consume digital entertainment services, including video, music and games, on a weekly basis. How can smartphone OEMs capitalise on the prime position that their devices have in digital services consumption? In this report we lay out the five key areas here that smartphone OEMs should focus on. These include implementing bundling strategies, leveraging tech and network advances, and identifying the prime consumer segments for digital services.
Operators’ enterprise strategies and plans: survey insights reveal shifting trends in 2025 and beyond
This report summarises the key findings from the latest GSMA Intelligence Operators in Focus: Enterprise Opportunity Survey, conducted in December 2024, which surveyed 100 global operators on their enterprise strategies and plans, as well as emerging opportunities. Key topics include operators’ strategic priorities, partnerships, acquisitions and investment in enterprise services such as cloud, security and connectivity, along with 5G offerings such as private 5G, IoT, edge computing and network slicing.
Authors
How to access this report
Annual subscription: Subscribe to our research modules for comprehensive access to more than 200 reports per year.
Enquire about subscriptionContact our research team
Get in touch with us to find out more about our research topics and analysis.
Contact our research teamMedia
To cite our research, please see our citation policy in our Terms of Use, or contact our Media team for more information.
Learn moreRelated research
GSMA Open Gateway: State of the Market, H1 2025
Representing 285 networks and almost 80% of mobile subscribers worldwide, 73 operator groups are now committed to GSMA Open Gateway. This latest research provides an update on the state of the market, recent developments, and examples of GSMA Open Gateway in action. It also offers a deep dive on supply/demand gap analysis.
Capitalising on smartphones as the leading digital playground: five priority areas for OEMs
Today, smartphones are the leading digital playground. According to our consumer survey, almost 80% of smartphone users consume digital entertainment services, including video, music and games, on a weekly basis. How can smartphone OEMs capitalise on the prime position that their devices have in digital services consumption? In this report we lay out the five key areas here that smartphone OEMs should focus on. These include implementing bundling strategies, leveraging tech and network advances, and identifying the prime consumer segments for digital services.
Operators’ enterprise strategies and plans: survey insights reveal shifting trends in 2025 and beyond
This report summarises the key findings from the latest GSMA Intelligence Operators in Focus: Enterprise Opportunity Survey, conducted in December 2024, which surveyed 100 global operators on their enterprise strategies and plans, as well as emerging opportunities. Key topics include operators’ strategic priorities, partnerships, acquisitions and investment in enterprise services such as cloud, security and connectivity, along with 5G offerings such as private 5G, IoT, edge computing and network slicing.
- 200 reports a year
- 50 million data points
- Over 350 metrics