The author delves into the mobile experience of Meta's Horizon Worlds, the company's flagship metaverse application. They start by acknowledging the leaked memo from Meta's CTO, which emphasizes the importance of Horizon Worlds on mobile for the company's long-term plans.

The author then proceeds to explore the mobile version of Horizon Worlds, navigating through various worlds and interacting with other users. They encounter a mix of experiences, from technical limitations like the inability to walk in certain worlds, to the prevalence of children and the challenges of age verification on Android devices.

Despite the mixed bag of experiences, the author notes that the mobile app does function and allows for user interactions, though the quality and nature of these interactions can be questionable. They highlight the human stories that unfold within the metaverse, from the peculiar behavior of other users to the technical glitches and limitations of the mobile platform.

The author concludes by inviting readers to explore the mobile version of Horizon Worlds and share their own experiences, acknowledging that the metaverse on mobile is a work in progress and that the future of this technology remains uncertain.

Upon entering the "Spin the Bottle" world in the Meta Horizon app on my mobile device, I was immediately greeted by a user named "Sonic" who seemed eager to engage in conversation. However, the audio quality was subpar, likely due to the use of a budget Bluetooth headset.

Navigating the world proved challenging, as I was unable to freely walk around and was essentially trapped in one location. The environment itself appeared simplistic, with a basic setup resembling a party scene.

Attempting to interact with other users proved frustrating, as many were either muted or had left the experience altogether. The overall impression was one of a chaotic and disjointed environment, lacking the cohesion and polish one would expect from a metaverse experience.

While the concept of a "Spin the Bottle" world within the metaverse may have some appeal, the mobile implementation fell short in terms of both technical execution and user engagement. The experience highlighted the limitations of the current state of the Meta Horizon app and the challenges the company faces in delivering a compelling metaverse experience on mobile platforms.

The Titanic role-play experience in the Horizon Worlds mobile app was a mixed bag. While the controls and graphics seemed to work reasonably well, the overall experience was plagued by glitches and limitations inherent to the mobile platform.

Attempting to walk around the Titanic environment proved challenging, as the user was essentially "trapped" and unable to freely navigate the space. This lack of mobility detracted from the immersion and realism of the role-play scenario.

Furthermore, the presence of yelling children and other disruptive elements highlighted the difficulty in maintaining a cohesive and appropriate experience within the mobile Horizon Worlds environment. The inability to effectively manage or filter out these unwanted interactions further diminished the quality of the Titanic simulation.

Overall, the Titanic role-play experience on the Horizon Worlds mobile app demonstrated the significant technical and design hurdles that Meta (Facebook) faces in delivering a compelling and functional metaverse experience on mobile devices. The glitches, limitations, and disruptive elements observed suggest that the mobile platform may not be the optimal foundation for the company's long-term metaverse plans, as outlined in the leaked memo.

Attempting to access Gatsby's Bar in the Meta Horizon app on my Android phone proved to be a frustrating experience. The age verification process was simply impossible to navigate with only one hand available. Tapping the screen repeatedly did not yield any results, as the system seemed to require the use of both hands for proper identification.

This limitation highlights the challenges of the mobile metaverse experience, where certain features and functionalities may not translate seamlessly from the VR headset version. The inability to properly verify my age effectively barred me from accessing the Gatsby's Bar world, leaving me unable to interact with any potential adult users in that virtual space.

The overall mobile metaverse experience, while functional in terms of movement and basic interactions, falls short when it comes to more complex features like age verification. This raises concerns about the viability of Meta's plan to rely heavily on the mobile version of Horizon Worlds to drive the future of the metaverse. The lack of parity between the mobile and VR versions could hinder the platform's ability to create a cohesive and inclusive virtual environment.

I decided to explore the "Venues" section of the Horizon Worlds mobile app, hoping to find some actual adults to interact with. However, my experience was a mixed bag, filled with both interesting and bizarre encounters.

First, I came across the Welsh Dragon, who was muted and speaking in Welsh. I tried to engage with them, but they seemed to be in a private call and unable to switch to the public channel. Despite the language barrier, I expressed my appreciation for the Welsh.

Next, I stumbled upon a Sabrina Carpenter concert, where I attempted to join the conversation. Unfortunately, I was promptly muted, likely due to the fact that I was accessing the experience through my mobile device. This highlighted the limitations of the mobile version of Horizon Worlds.

Undeterred, I continued my exploration and encountered a character named Morgan. Eager to follow their lead, I ended up "dying" in the experience, which led to an amusing and somewhat absurd sequence of events.

Throughout these encounters, I observed that the mobile version of Horizon Worlds does indeed function, allowing users to move around, interact with others, and even participate in various experiences. However, the quality of the interactions and the overall user experience seemed to be hindered by the limitations of mobile devices, such as the difficulty with age verification and the apparent preference for VR headset users.

Overall, my visit to the Horizon Worlds mobile app provided a glimpse into the challenges Meta faces in making the metaverse concept work on mobile platforms. While the technology is functional, the user experience still seems to be a work in progress, with room for improvement to truly engage and captivate users.

The experience of exploring the Meta Horizon Worlds app on a mobile device has been a mixed bag. While the app is functional and allows users to interact with others in various virtual worlds, the overall experience leaves much to be desired.

The inability to properly control one's avatar, the frequent glitches, and the prevalence of young users have all contributed to a less-than-ideal metaverse experience. The age verification process also proved to be a significant hurdle, further highlighting the challenges of creating a truly immersive and accessible virtual environment.

Overall, the mobile version of Horizon Worlds does not seem to be the savior that Meta is hoping for in its long-term plans for the metaverse. The technical limitations and the lack of a cohesive, engaging experience suggest that the company has more work to do before the metaverse can truly become a viable and mainstream platform.