360 Videos, Education, Advertising, Gaming and Film set to be the big revelations
In 2016, Virtual Reality transitioned from a futuristic product showcased in movies into something that could be bought on retail shelves for the holidays. While 2016 was the canvas for VR, the masterpiece is expected to emerge in 2017
Analysts are excited about 2017 for VR and are confident that the user base which is currently estimated to be 43 million, will grow tenfold this year.
More Headset Options At Better Cost
2016 saw hardware manufacturer’s launch their first consumer ready products. HTC, Samsung, Google and of course, Facebook’s Oculus all got in the game. In 2017, we will see even more brands will enter the market, including RAZR, and the hefty price points that scared away enthusiasts are already coming down.
The Daydream is revolutionising the market with a high quality experiences at a $100 price point.
More big players are set to enter into the budget VR market making it more accessible for everyone. VR cameras too are expected to get cheaper with newer iterations entering the market, which would be great news for 360 video creators. This is playing out a little bit like how the mobile market evolved. First phones were expensive and came with large and unwieldy designs. Then they got cheaper, sleeker and better.
360 Videos for Advertising, Education and Health Care
The foundation has been established in 2016 for 360 videos in content marketing. A lot of companies have been investing in VR ads and 360 video for their marketing strategy. But they were largely restricted to the automobile and real estate industry. But this year we will see 360 videos used by the fashion, food, hospitality and travel industries in a big way. Apart from VR ads, 360 videos will also be used for education and healthcare extensively. Medical colleges are already excited about how 360 videos are helping students understand complex surgical procedures.
In Middle Eastern countries where it’s difficult to get hold of enough cadavers, this will dramatically improve the scope of medical education.
Special educators are also excited about the potential 360 videos have for children with learning difficulties.
VR’s impact on Sports
Completely new forms of sports like drone racing is being developed thanks to VR. And the Super Bowl saw huge investment by companies into VR ads. It’s not going to be long before we actually see our favourite sports as 360 videos. Imagine seeing Cristiano Ronaldo’s ball thundering towards the goal post almost like you were the goalie! Here’s a sneak peek:
VR Movies and Television
The scope of cinematic VR is massive. The first VR cinema has already been established in Amsterdam. More such experiences are going to spring up in the near future. Seth Gordon, director of Horrible Bosses, is particularly convinced about VR in storytelling. He is of the opinion that the reason it is being held back at the moment is because of lack of conviction about profits. But with the huge investment of the gaming industry in VR, things may change.
“There’s a strong future — but really compelling, immersive storytelling that is distinct from, and improves upon, the best console games hasn’t quite shown itself yet.Once they prove that VR can reach a mass audience, you’ll see a tipping point. And then everyone will get involved.
For me, the way VR could overlap with social is very exciting. If you could create an experience that was flexible but could relate to people’s’ social participation online, that would be transcendent.”
Check out this Star Wars behind-the-scenes story in 360Video.
These are the top trends for VR in 2017. But what’s the most exciting thing about this is that VR becomes a go to trend for several industries. Education, real estate, health care, hospitality, advertising and sports is expected to become laser focused on creating experiences in VR to their executions.This also means more jobs are being created. The ripple effect is going to be dramatic, in the best way possible. And with the way 2016 sunsetted, we can’t help but be happy about the silver linings to look for in 2017.
