Online shopping needed filters, context and reputation (ratings, reviews, algorithm-aided discovery, etc.). Notably most of that didn't exist for in-person shopping, so we should expect new structures for online events as well - likely ones we haven't anticipated.
May similar develop for humans at virtual events? Here are 40 people you are matched with for the next coffee break. Add a serendipitous element - here is the coffee bar area with 49 (e.g. add 9 'randoms') others - you can drop into the group of 50, and then peel off (or be peeled off) into x minute 2-4 person conversations. You tag the people you want follow-ups with (and the algorithms take note as well) before you are moved into a different subgroup. How would AR enhance all of that?
Quite busy with my startup but throwing thoughts out there for others - it is certainly a space for innovation.
https://www.producthunt.com/posts/spatialchat
Though it wasn't designed initially for big online events, due to the outbreak we see the surge in that area. Already landed a couple of 5000-people conferences, and many people use products for meetups and drinking parties.
dm me in twitter https://twitter.com/kidrulit
(No mobile support yet)
Edit: this is what it looks like https://twitter.com/neeshstudio/status/1255858585235488771?s...
We started 2.5 months ago and have seen ~ 10k events of all kinds.
We're hiring engineers :) - [email protected]
or twitter
@ericwooley