The rise of virtual and augmented reality technology has been predicted by analysts for some time now. Though 2016 estimates came up a bit short, market research firms are once again forecasting 2017 will be a banner year.
Greenlight Insights forecasted worldwide VR revenues will reach $7.2 billion by the end of 2017. International Data Corporation (IDC) added to that with a recent report noting worldwide shipments of VR and AR headssets grew to 2.3 million units in the first quarter of this year. IDC said triple-digit growth is expected for the full year thanks to some product releases coming in the second half.
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 announced 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 reported 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 give professionals an in-depth look on how to create compelling VR films and how the medium differs from traditional cinematic experiences, Nokia said.
“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 commented. “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 said 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 indicated 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.
The partnership between Nokia and Technicolor is one small part of a massive industry push to focus on video content.
According to Ericsson’s recent Mobility Report, video is expected to account for around three-quarters of mobile data traffic by 2022. The report also notes that some of the earliest 5G use cases will be support for VR and AR applications.