Analyst forecasts have been predicting the rise of virtual and augmented reality technology for some time now. While 2016 estimates came up a bit short, market research firms are once again forecasting 2017 will be a banner year.
International Data Corporation (IDC) recently reported worldwide shipments of VR and AR headsets continued to grow in the first quarter of this year, hitting 2.3 million units. The firm said triple-digit growth is expected for the full year thanks to some product releases coming in the second half. Greenlight Insights in its own forecast said worldwide VR revenues will reach $7.2 billion by the end of 2017.
But all of those sales and shipments are really pointless unless they come with the content to keep users hooked to the platform. That’s where Nokia and Technicolor are stepping in.
Nokia says it’s partnering with Technicolor to create “new and compelling” VR content using the former’s OZO+ camera and OZO content creation tools. The Finnish company reports the pair’s first project will be a series of 360 Masterclass sessions held at Technicolor’s Experience Center in Los Angeles. The course will reportedly give professionals an in-depth look on how to create compelling VR films and how the medium differs from traditional cinematic experiences.
“In the creation of immersive content, live action cameras are key to the storytelling process, and Nokia has invested a lot of time and research in understanding how to provide content creators with the tools they need to produce high quality image capture,” SVP of Immersive Media and Head of the Technicolor Experience Center Marcie Jastrow comments. “Technicolor has a long history in applying our industry-leading color science capabilities and image processing pipeline to work with camera manufacturers in order to create the highest quality capture techniques and outcomes. That is why the Technicolor Experience Center is proud to be partnering with Nokia to offer classes that will explore the creation of high quality immersive content.”
In addition to the OZO+ camera and OZO Creator VR stitching software, Nokia says it has launched the new OZO Reality Platform, including OZO Deliver, OZO Player SDK, and Nokia VR format extensions, to enable higher-quality experiences to reach broader audiences via delivery and playback interoperability. Nokia indicates these technologies will enable a broad ecosystem of partners to deliver higher resolution, spatial audio, and support for mixed reality experiences for content captured with any high-quality VR camera system.
