If you are a person with an internet connection and moderately aware of technological news, you have heard the expression Web 3.0 at least once in the last few months. You will also know that it is “the future of the internet,” and if you have dug a little more into the conversation, you will have some idea that blockchain and cryptocurrencies will have something to do with all that.

Web 3.0 is not an easy concept to understand, and we will be putting out a series of articles to explain it in more depth in the future. However, today we want to share with you some examples of applications that use web 3.0 technologies.

A little 'web' history

Before talking about the examples, we have to make a short context of why web 3.0 appears and what are web 1.0 and 2.0.

The first thing to understand is that the “web” is not the internet. The web is the protocols, pages, and forms of interaction that occur in the middle of the internet.

Now, let's go with Web 1.0.

If you are 25 years old or older, you probably remember this kind of websites. These pages were boring, static, and full of text. There was no interaction. Basically, accessing the internet was like having a large encyclopedia where you only went to look for information and read.

A big leap was made with the arrival of Web 2.0.

The change came around 2005 and was the start of the web of interactions and content creation. First were the blogs, with the possibility of commenting, then came the forums. Finally, web 2.0 exploded with the appearance of social networks: Facebook, MySpace, and Youtube, among many others.

In this Web 2.0, users create content, whether in blogs, videos, or photos, and other people can interact with it. However, it's also the web of advertising and data.

Thanks to users' activity on networks, large corporations realized that people produced a tremendous amount of information, which people were unaware of. So big tech companies like Google, Amazon, and Facebook began selling it to advertising companies. This issue with privacy protection has become one of the biggest scandals of web 2.0. It is also why many early adopters already choose to use web 3.0 apps.

Although web 3.0 is still under development, and we cannot know exactly what it will look like, we can anticipate a couple of ideas.

In theory, web 3.0 should be decentralized, trustless, permissionless, and interoperable. These four characteristics would ensure, on paper, the protection of everyone's data and tokens rewards for participation in the network and content creation.

For web 3.0 users, the most essential thing is control over their data and content, which can only be achieved if there is no third party imposing rules on the community. To achieve this, decentralization is essential, and the best way to decentralize information is by using the blockchain and all the associated tech (Smart contracts, cryptos, DAOs, etc.)

Current examples of Web 3.0

Now, let's talk a little about the current examples that we can find of web 3.0. Some of these applications are still recent and not very popular, but little by little, they will grow.

1. Brave Browser

It is probably one of the most popular Web 3.0 applications today. Many people use it not for its web 3.0 elements, but for the protection it offers against cookies and trackers of web 2.0. Its most significant strength is privacy and the ability to block website trackers and online ads without the need to add plugins to them. It even works on mobile phones, which is attractive if you want to watch YouTube without ads from your mobile device.

Brave is built on top of Chromium and prioritizes privacy and integration of decentralized applications (DApps) and decentralized finance (DeFi), in addition to offering rewards in its own token, allowing users to earn money by using the platform.

2. Decentraland

It's a project that runs on the Ethereum (ETH) blockchain and aims to create an open virtual world where users can operate just as they do in the physical world.

This project has many typical characteristics of Web 3.0 applications. The first is the possession of its currency (MANA) which acquires value by supply and demand and is used within the game. They are also a DAO or decentralized organization, so no specific regulatory body exists. Still, all those with a token can participate in the organization's decision-making. The generated data is stored in a distributed manner in the organization's Ethereum blockchain.

3. Storj

As we have already said, information, data, and its ownership are one of the main problems that web 3.0 seeks to solve. Storj is one of the most secure solutions to store your data in the cloud and is preferred by people with highly sensitive data, such as journalists, politicians, etc.

Storj has two different upload interfaces: a simple web client for users looking for a quick and easy way to decentralize stuff, and a more complex command line interface. It has a very minimalist interface, making it navigable and easy to use. The free plan offers up to 150 gigabytes of storage, and like most Web 3.0 apps, you could earn STORJ, the platform's currency, by using it.

4. STEPN

This is the app that fitness people will love. In Web 2.0, the only thing we gain from a fitness app is that its programs work, and we get the summer body we want.

Stepn is the evolution of several concepts that have been gaining strength for several years: augmented reality (AR) gaming, playing to win, and healthy living.

Built on the Solana blockchain, this platform uses NFTs and the play-to-earn concept to give tokens for exercising outside using GPS to track how far you've walked. The advantage is that the tokens can then be exchanged for other cryptos or real money, so they will pay you for getting a good body.

The game has more complex rules than buying an NFT and jogging for hours to earn money. However, it is a clear example of how companies now benefit users by participating and spending time and money on the app. Users are no longer just passive entities.

5. ySign

If you were one of those who threw a tantrum when Meta changed the conditions of WhatsApp and even downloaded Telegram, you would like this web 3.0 application:  you can now chat without a copy of the conversation being made.

ySign is an application similar to WhatsApp or Telegram based on blockchain for secure and decentralized communication, meaning there is no processing and storage of messages or calls. Which guarantees the anonymity and privacy of all users.

Unlike its Web 2.0 competition, the application does not require any personal information: users register with just a username and password. That way, ySign provides high privacy and security for the registered user and all data.

This platform had grown considerably since 2019 when it was launched. It can currently be downloaded from Apple's App Store and Google Play. 

These are not the only web 3.0 applications that are currently working. We can find many others, such as games, exchanges, social networks, and even no-code development platforms such as Bubble. The fact that many of these apps already exist speaks to the fact that web 3.0 is very close to becoming a reality and that, little by little, it will expand. 

We will have to wait and see how it evolves.