Before any of us really understand the allure of the metaverse, here comes the Metaverse Standards Forum.

This industry standards organization is supposed to create rules that ensure everyone’s metaverse works with everyone else’s, much like web technologies usually work together. It’s made up of over 30 companies, but what’s more significant is the list of companies that are missing. Apple, Roblox, and Niantic are nowhere to be found.

"Apple is incredibly methodical in its approach to new markets and it's no different than sitting back and watching what other companies do before making their move. I don't believe they're not interested in the market; it's just a matter of time before they introduce new technology that allows Apple loyalists to take full advantage of what the metaverse has to offer," Paul Babb, CMO at Maxon, one of the companies in the new standards body, told Lifewire via email.

Apple has been working on its augmented reality (AR) technology for years, Roblox is a kind of virtual world of games, and Niantic is behind probably the only real AR hit to date, Pokémon Go. So not being in a standards body is bad news for that body.