Metaverse – Virtual Reality (VR), Extended Reality (XR) and Immersive Video News

Amazon announces cloud development platform for AR/VR
Nov 27, 2017 – Amazon Web Services (AWS) [NASDAQ:AMZN], has announced Amazon Sumerian, a service that makes it easy for any developer to build Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and 3D applications, and run them on mobile devices, head-mounted displays, digital signage, or web browsers.
News categories: Amazon Web Services, Marco Argenti, Metaverse, Worldwide

HTC Vive announces open VR platform and standalone headset
Nov 14, 2017 – HTC has announced VIVE WAVE, a VR open platform and toolset that will open up the path to easy mobile VR content development. HTC has also unveiled VIVE FOCUS, a standalone VR headset for the China market that is also based on the Vive Wave VR open platform.
News categories: HTC Vive, Qualcomm, Alvin Wang Graylin, Hugo Swart, China, Metaverse, Semiconductor

ETSI and VRARA cooperate on Virtual and Augmented Reality
Nov 9, 2017 – ETSI has announced that the Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality Association (VRARA) has signed a Letter of Intent to collaborate on interactive VR and AR technologies delivered over emerging 5G networks and hosted on Multi-access Edge Computing sites.
News categories: ETSI, VRARA, Alex Reznik, Kris Kolo, 5G, Digital TV, Metaverse, Worldwide

Turner Sports and Intel to bring VR to NBA fans
Nov 7, 2017 – Turner Sports and Intel have announced a partnership to make live NBA game action available in virtual reality using Intel True VR technology. Intel will become the Exclusive Provider of Virtual Reality for the NBA on TNT.
News categories: Intel Corp, Turner, NBA, James Carwana, Will Funk, Jeff Marsilio, Digital TV, Metaverse, USA

Nokia plans to halt OZO VR development
Oct 10, 2017 – Nokia has announced plans to sharpen the focus of Nokia Technologies on digital health while optimizing investments in virtual reality (VR). In VR, Nokia plans to reduce investments and focus more on technology licensing opportunities.
News categories: Nokia, Gregory Lee, Digital TV, Metaverse, Worldwide

TV in 2020: 50 percent of viewing will be mobile
Oct 9, 2017 – Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) has unveiled the eighth edition of its annual ConsumerLab TV and Media report, which details the massive growth in TV and video viewing and the ongoing shift in the way consumers watch content.
News categories: Ericsson, Anders Erlandsson, Digital TV, Market Research, Metaverse, Mobile, UX, Worldwide

VR Industry Forum to present draft industry guidelines at IBC 2017
Sep 13, 2017 – The Virtual Reality Industry Forum (VRIF) has announced that it will be presenting a draft of its guidelines at IBC 2017. The guidelines will be discussed by VRIF at a session co-hosted by the DASH Industry Forum (DASH-IF) at the RAI in Amsterdam.
News categories: Virtual Reality Industry Forum, Paul Higgs, Rob Koenen, Digital TV, IBCShow, Metaverse, Worldwide

Sky, Ericsson and Tiledmedia showcase VR for live sports at IBC 2017
Sep 8, 2017 – Three members of the Virtual Reality Industry Forum (VRIF) – Sky, Ericsson and Tiledmedia – will showcase a real application of Virtual Reality (360 video) synced with live sports at this year’s IBC Show.
News categories: Ericsson, Sky, Tiledmedia, Europe, IBCShow, Metaverse, Worldwide

Quarter of a billion VR users worldwide by 2022
Aug 9, 2017 – According to ABI Research, virtual reality (VR) technology looks set to gain widespread adoption over the next five years, reaching an installed base of 256 million users worldwide and generating revenues of over US$60 billion in 2022.
News categories: ABI Research, Sam Rosen, Digital TV, Market Research, Metaverse, Worldwide