Imagine a futuristic place where next-generation 6G connectivity makes the multiverse possible – a place where AR glasses, haptic body suits, tactile gloves and other high-tech gear is available at a low cost – a place that can be programmed and adapted to an almost infinite number of activities.

Now, imagine that it is opening just down the road from where you live, in that run-down shopping mall that was closed for renovation last year. Welcome to the Everyspace Plaza!

We asked early adopters of AR, VR and digital assistants from 14 major cities to evaluate 15 hybrid shopping mall facilities that extend the physical consumer experience using digital technology.

An astonishing 79 percent think that all 15 tested concepts will be available in some form by 2030, and an incredible 85 percent want to use at least 10 of these facilities themselves. In addition, 42 percent would like to have at least 5 of these facilities in their local mall.

Shopping malls have long been high-tech focal points, with many featuring cinemas, game arcades, concert halls, bowling alleys and more – and they likely will continue to play that role. In fact, 35 percent of surveyed consumers think shopping malls are more likely to feature next-generation technology than homes, compared to just 13 percent who disagree.

With major tech players now quickly staking out new ground, that next generation is getting very close. Towards the end of 2021, Facebook became Meta and positioned Horizon as their future social platform only months after Microsoft had announced Mesh as the volumetric heir to both Teams and their Office suite; Niantic launched Lightship as a platform for building their Planet-Scale AR Alliance; Qualcomm introduced Snapdragon Spaces for XR development; and Xiaomi announced the first AR glasses that look like regular glasses. At Ericsson Research, our vision is that, by 2030, these kinds of initiatives will merge into a networked reality, where every space becomes the right place for next-generation experiences.

Concurrently, the idea that we have reached peak mobility is spreading among early adopters. In fact, 4 out of 10 AR/VR users equate increasing travel costs to carbon taxes and rising fuel costs to the growing interest in AR/VR technology, but only 2 out of 10 non-AR/VR users make this connection. One-third of AR/VR users also say that travelers will post less on social media to avoid being seen as “climate cheats”.

Instead, local surroundings will become more important, with almost 4 out of 10 consumers agreeing that a high-tech shopping mall would make their town more attractive to live in. If anything, the future might be increasingly localized, with 32 percent of respondents agreeing that high-tech shopping malls will make moving to small towns and rural areas more feasible and attractive – and just 13 percent disagreeing with this. As an added advantage, the semi-public nature of shopping malls means latency bounds could be controlled and high-quality 6G experiences could be delivered early on.

If all types of experiential consumption and shopping can be enjoyed nearby, why go anywhere else? Any here is right here, in the Everyspace Plaza.