5.1.2024
On the DMEXCO 2023 in the area of w3.vision, a journalist from the radio station DLF -which I highly appreciate -spoke to me during the loud afterparty at the booth of Metabrew Society and she asked: “What do you think Web3 failed at...?” - When I talk about professional topics in my sports club or circle of acquaintances, I hear again and again “What is this Web3 anyway?” There is no universal definition, so I've decided to publish my take on it:
In 1990, with the shutdown of the ARPANET and approval by the National Science Foundation, the commercial phase of the Internet began. On April 30, 1993, CERN finally released the internet for everyone — virtually the birth of the WWW. But when was the day again when the old World Wide Web was switched off and only Web 2.0 was available...? That's right, it never existed. It also makes no sense at all and applies analogously to Web3. In my opinion, the terms “Web 2.0” and “Web3” include a number of concepts that characterize it collectively. These are separate “can” extensions of the predecessor, the use of which can be useful individually or in combination, depending on the use case.
Here is a brief overview of the various phases and what they offer us as providers, users and developers.
user interface Monitor, keyboard and mouse dominate access and navigation
Data Interaction Web pages and content are primarily designed for reading
Infrastructure Server-based on premise architecture
User guidance YP, the “yellow pages” of the Internet, simple directories, you can often find collections of links on personal homepages or specific areas of interest
forums Communication via email groups and simple chat functions on websites
Economy Static websites that provide information and specialized shops that ship goods from their niche and warehouse
user interface Mobile devices, faster data transfer and touch screens are revolutionizing access to the Internet
Data Interaction Users can not only consume content, but also create it
Infrastructure Cloud technologies enable scalability and flexibility
User guidance Platforms such as Google and Facebook guide users and finance themselves through their content
forums Interest groups are formed on platforms such as Facebook, Reddit and Twitter
Economy Platforms use the products and content that users offer and have become the main players in the digital space
user interface XR (extended reality, i.e. AR, VR and MV) and gesture control open immersive interaction paths
Data Interaction Users can own data and trade directly with each other
Infrastructure Decentralized ledger technologies (DLT, e.g. blockchain) are the basis for open and pseudonymized communication that is trustworthy and comprehensible
User guidance Artificial intelligence provides personalized and efficient navigation and takes process automation to a new level
forums Project communities allow collaboration and participation. They promote direct communication between producers and consumers and pave the way for engaged fans to become brand ambassadors
Economy Users are shareholders and benefit directly from their data and their participation in a wide variety of projects
Even today, you can still use all web services with a keyboard and monitor - although this may not always make complete sense, for example with Uber. There are also successful services that provide curated data without users being able to contribute content, such as Statista. It can also be accessed via mobile or VR glasses. There are also numerous solutions and services that use partial aspects of Web3, some of which are optional, without trying to cover all of them. A mix and compatibility between the individual concepts of the development stages of the Internet makes sense for most applications.
The breakthrough of Web 2.0 in the wider society only came with the release of the iPhone.
Mobile Internet and navigation via touch input were already possible before, but only as a result of the iPhone design Made it possible to use new UX pages and share content anytime from anywhere. It's the same with VR, AR and metaverse experiences these days. Access — at least fully immersive — is only possible with appropriate glasses. These are not yet very widespread and clunky. With an appropriate device that is not much larger than conventional glasses and provides easy access to the technology, I am sure that there is nothing standing in the way of the spread of AR, VR and metaverse experiences in everyday life. In terms of features, the Apple Vision Pro can't do much more than the aging Microsoft Hololens, but has taken a step towards mass distribution in terms of form factor and marketing.
What was impossible to predict in the beginning is the power of platforms and the development of trading with user data in Web 2.0. We have all long since become transparent users — unfortunately, the profit generated only goes to others, namely the operators of the platforms and algorithms that collect and monetize these data points. The Technological Principles of Web 3 promise a remedy, on the one hand through the use of pseudonymized wallet addresses and on the other hand through “self-sovereign identity” and the “ownership economy.”
The Internet has gone from a source of information to an interactive and immersive platform that focuses on participation and ownership. The possibilities of Web3 are huge, and we're only just beginning to explore and use them. The rapid identification and use of future trends and standards always means a competitive advantage.
Those who recognized and successfully implemented the possibilities of Web 2.0 today operate the platforms and use their market power and the data of their users to maximize their profits.
On the one hand, Web 3 offers all companies the opportunity to get closer to their customers without a platform in between, and on the other hand, it offers us users the opportunity to regain control of our data and even benefit from it themselves in the long term through the ownership economy.
How do you think Web 3 will affect your industry or your daily life?
PS: Unfortunately, the planned interview for the next day at DMEXCO with the DLF journalist mentioned above didn't happen - if you're reading this, dear journalist, please contact me and let us catch up on the interview at any time!
