What is the main thing keeping VR from becoming a truly universal platform?
THE ANSWER: ACCESSIBILITY AND REVENUE
The number of VR Head Mounted Displays (HMDs) is forecast to almost double from 2016 to 2017. And by another 50% from 2017 to 2018. In 2020, the estimated VR software and hardware market share is USD 40 billion*. There is a reason why Facebook and Samsung are investing billions in the technology.
However: Even by then, almost half will be owned and operated by the segments “light/heavy gamers” and “early adopters”. In other words: The average user needs more exposure to the technology.
ImagineVR is a Content Management System (CMS) for online publishing of Virtual Reality (VR) content. It will open up a whole new world of possibilities for content creators, advertisers and users of VR.
Doublethink
01. EXACTLY WHAT?
ImagineVR is a web-based software that will allow everyone to publish VR content online, seamlessly and independent of technical know-how. It will include a number of basic and (based on modular licensing) advanced features, offering an all-in-one solution for both private and commercial users.
It’s primary targets are commercial, however, as there is a vast, untapped potential for VR within a number of market segments, from media to heavy industries. It will also allow for full scale adaptation of new advertisment platforms.
02. THE FIRST STEP
The first version of ImagineVR will be launched in November/December 2017, as part of one of its pilot projects (geoVR; see p.6). This first version will include basic features, a fully funtional although not highly polished GUI, allow for back end user edits and interactions, and it will include a viewer adapted for both desktop and mobile platforms.
At the same time our two other pilots will continue to progress, broadening both the early adopter test groups and different uses of the software.
Ask anyone you know; ask the people who you consider “updated” and digitally enabled if they own a VR kit or has even tried it in any form. They will most likely say no.
03. BASIC FEATURES
In addition to framwork functions like account administration, the basic features of ImagineVR, available in the first iteration of the software, will include uploading of 360 images, videos and 3D animation, the ability to create menus and media hotspots within the viewer experience, support for all HMDs and web-based viewers, and the ability to add spatial sound/music/voiceover etc.
04. NEXT FEATURES
In parallell to the development of the basic features required to launch the first pilots, we will develop the more advanced features to be ready for the commercial launch of the software in Q1 2018.
These features include:
- Automatic picture and video stitching
- Online video file conversion and editing
- Combining of multiple videos into one
- Trackable, moving, interactive hotspots on objects in 360 environments
- Integration with Wordpress, Drupal and more
- Automatic file compression
- Social media sharing
- Company branding
- Custom webGL scenes
- Private or pay per use server hosting
- ISP-based content distribution
- Custom plugin development
- Extensive support
ImagineVR’s frontend/web player uses a combination of open source libraries, googleVR and webVR, to display VR content across platforms and HMDs. We have optimized the code of these libraries to be able to serve the content provided by our backend software.
Our backend is built on a combination of HTML5 and .NET. It runs on a scalable Azure webserver, delivering lightning speeds for both uploading and streaming. Fully integrated webGL enables cross platform 3D content. ImagineVR is based on a REST API so connecting to our solution in the future will be a breeze.
ImagineVR - VR CMS for everyone
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
WHAT SETS US APART FROM OUR COMPETITORS?
With the VR market growing every day, people and companies all over the world are scrambling to develop, corner the market and capitalize on both software and hardware. We know that we are alone in developing CMS-like solutions for VR.
But we do have plans that few others have, both regarding features and uses.
Let’s start with some of the unique features:
- ImagineVR will offer trackable, interactive hotspots in VR environments, meaning that hotspots will follow moving objects in 360º. That is very cool.
- We will offer autostitching and editing capabilities for images and videos prior to publishing
- We will allow for full integration of 3D objects and animated sequences. That will open a whole range of opportunities for advanced storytelling.
Those features are is not the most exciting differences, however. What ever more appealing is the content ad placement options. Much like YouTube does for regular videos, we will enable ad placements in or before content, in 360º and 2D, allowing advertisers to create interactive ads, engaging the audience in a brand new way.
That is a feature that can possibly create billions in value as the VR market continues to grow.