The main part was content and platform from the VR industry policy which the government has announced. That means that we had quite an improvement in device or technology part but not in content and platform. So many companies actually started to make contents and platforms. Many experts are observing whether this VR market can grow up. But one more thing that we can watch is whether what kind of platform could seize the VR eco-system. More platforms of global companies have been newly released recently.
Google Daydream
We have introduced you about Google’s Daydream before. Daydream is a VR platform which Google is preparing and it will allow users to watch high-quality VR through Smartphone, HMD and controller.
<Credit: Google VR>
All Smartphones which has received Daydream ready certification are equipped with Daydream. Daydream ready is a system that provides certification to the qualified phones which is compatible with Daydream VR HMD. Google added ‘VR mode’ in their new OS called Android N and optimized other applications to VR. Through Daydream, users can use apps and contents easier because Google made Youtube, Street view, Google playstore, playmovies and Google photos into VR version. Furthermore, Google cooperate with other companies like Ubisoft or Netflix to make apps for Daydream.
Unfortunately Daydream is not available in previous smartphones that has not received Daydream ready certification. ‘v20’ of LG electronics will mount Android 7.0N for the first time in domestic. Above this, Google will cooperate with other smartphone manufacturers which use Android OS for Daydream so you can refer this information if you were planning to buy a new smartphone.
<Credit: Google VR>
Samsung VR
The main platform of Gear VR is Oculus home. When you first use GearVR and put your smartphone in the HMD then you will hear a message saying “Please detach your smartphone and install the VR app”. At this time what you have to install is “Oculus app”. Like this, there was no platform which you can call it Samsung’s, but Samsung is preparing its own platform called ‘Samsung VR’ app. It is quite similar to Youtube and will become an open platform which users can upload a high-quality video freely.
At first, however, Samsung will open contents by previously checking its violence or sexuality to provide a high-quality VR contents. You can use it in your smartphone through Google store but it is more efficient when you download the contents in Oculus home’s Samsung VR menu through GearVR.
<Credit: Google Image>
However, this is not the first time for Samsung to open a VR platform. In the end of 2014, when the first Gear VR was released, Samsung provide VR contents through its own VR platform called ‘milk VR’ which was expanded from Samsung’s own music streaming service ‘milk’. But it seems that it didn’t work that well. ‘Samsung VR’ which opens next month will only be available in Gear VR. Will Samsung take this strategy continuously or will they overcome this threshold.
Intel Project Alloy
The last platform that we will introduce you today is the hottest news these days. It’s Intel’s Project Alloy. Don’t you want to know what kind of platform it is which the King of computer has made?
In Intel developer Forum 2016 (IDF) which was held in Sanfrancisco on August 2016, they talked about the vision of IoT and device field and the role of Intel in expansion in Computer field. In this Forum they opened the all-in-one virtual reality solution ‘Project Alloy’.
<Credit: Intel>
Project Alloy provides a free movement as the PC is embedded in VR HMD. Project Alloy can provide mixed reality. This means that you can see your hand, friends and walls even though you are wearing a VR HMD. All this things are possible because of Intel’s technology. It doesn’t need an external sensor or camera in the place because of the real sense camera attached in HMD Project Alloy platform is predicted to be opened to the developers in 2017. So we should make our mind before it is released as we know that project Alloy will bring more surprises.
<Credit: Intel>
Today’s platforms were all about global company’s platform which has its own device and each of its strategy seem also different. There is a platform which is only available in its device but there is also a platform that is compatible with other devices. This make us think of IOS and Android which is walking a different way but competing all the time. So we can’t judge easily whether which way will go higher than others. We should watch together whether it will be a platform war or a symbiotic relationship.
WAVRP is a curation service which introduces a selected VR video everyday!
