Web3 and Web4 - Eras of the Internet
“Decentralizing Value vs Decentralizing Experience”
by Timothy Coleman - 15/Apr/2023
Intro - Web 1.0 to Web 4.0
There is a lot of talk about Web3 and what it is (whether it is about decentralization, Crypto, or NFTs). In this piece, we will go high level and look at the evolution of the Internet in terms of eras (Web1.0 - Web4.0) birthed by technological advancements.
Eras of the Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution has also been discussed in terms of eras, the catalyst for the 1st Industrial Revolution coming from technological advancements which enabled the mechanisation of production with the aid of Steam power.
The second Industrial Revolution came after the discovery of electricity - enabling mass production; the third through advances in computing, with the fourth revolution in manufacturing, building on these automated systems.
Eras of the Internet
In terms of eras of the advancement and evolution of the Internet, the first era (Web 1.0) was defined by technologies which enabled websites themselves to be created; In this ecosystem, users were only able to be Readers of such sites.
The second era of the Internet came when tech advancements enabled users to be content creators (Writers), and birthed platforms such as Facebook, Youtube, and Google. This era was the decentralization of content generation.
The third era of the Internet, emerged as a result of Blockchain technologies, and gave rise to (Ownership of) Virtual Assets e.g. Crypto/NFTs. This era was about the decentralization of corporate value gained FROM users.
Web4 - The next Era of the Internet
The next evolution of the Internet (Web4), is already emerging, with the advancement of technologies (e.g. AI and Cloud Computing) which enable high powered and personalised immersive experiences; this era is not just about the Metaverse.
Augmented Reality is also part of this evolution, and is already transforming the art and performance spaces, with high profile galleries featuring hologram-like pieces with which visitors can often interact; some pieces can also be viewed remotely.
Conclusion
A new era of emerging technologies are causing us to experience the Internet all around us in ways we have never before. Web4 is the Immersive Web, the decentralization of access; a new way to experience the Web.