Sky has launched a new app to showcase virtual reality content. Sky VR is available as a free download and includes a range of immersive, 360-degree videos from Sky, and content from Sky’s partners including Star Wars: Red Carpet, Anthony Joshua: Becoming World Champion and clips from Disney’s The Jungle Book.
Two new VR experiences have also been released. Sky Sports: Closer featuring David Beckham. Later this autumn, the first of a series of Sky exclusive commissions – a performance from English National Ballet’s production of Giselle ahead of its forthcoming UK tour – will also be available.
In his second piece of VR content for Sky Sports, Beckham is seen entering a Sky VR simulator, which takes him and the viewer to visit the world’s best sports events at the touch of a button. The footage was created in-house by the Sky VR Studios, in collaboration with Google. Viewers will feel like they are trackside at Silverstone or have ringside seats watching Anthony Joshua.
At the other end of the creative spectrum viewers can access an immersive re-imagining of a performance from English National Ballet’s production of Giselle, which will be available later in October.
In addition to Giselle, Sky will commission a series of high-end VR experiences, under the Sky VR Exclusives label. Produced both in-house by the Sky VR Studios and with third-party partners, the series will build on the commitment to create VR content. This includes Sky News – US Elections and Tutankhamun’s Tomb –The Search for Nefertiti.
At launch the Sky VR app will be home to around 20 different pieces of 360-degree video content from Sky, Disney, Fox Innovation Lab, Warner Brothers, Baobab Studios, Jaunt, Innerspace and Surround Vision.
The app is available to download on a compatible mobile from Google Play or the App Store. The app will let anyone watch immersive Virtual Reality content on a Smartphone either in conjunction with a Google Cardboard headset or in 2D (360 degrees) without a headset. The app will also work when using Samsung Gear VR and Oculus Rift.
