what is the metaverse in simple terms

The metaverse is a term used to describe a vision of the next iteration of the internet, which is a single, shared, immersive, persistent, 3D virtual space where humans experience life in ways they could not in the physical world. It is a digital ecosystem built on various kinds of 3D technology, real-time collaboration software, and blockchain-based decentralized finance tools. The metaverse is a network of shared, immersive virtual worlds where people can connect with friends, create and play games, work, and shop. It is a cyberspace, or an evolved, three-dimensional internet where logging in isn’t necessary, and it may also incorporate elements of virtual and augmented reality. The metaverse will be accessible through phones, computers, wearable tech, and headsets, or a combination of these, and it will be where people work, shop, exercise, socialize, watch movies, and game. The term "metaverse" was coined in 1992 by author Neal Stephenson in his sci-fi novel Snow Crash, and work on the technologies that underpin a virtual reality-based internet date back decades.