NEW YORK, Nov. 04, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Wall Street Journal today announced that it is advancing a dynamic new storytelling form by enhancing its flagship iOS and Android apps with built-in 360° video and virtual reality viewing capabilities.
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For Journal app users, this technology will provide a seamless viewing experience that allows users to enjoy 360° video without the need for a separate app or additional hardware. Mobile app users who want to experience the virtual reality features with a headset can use a number of available models. Desktop visitors can view the content either as 360° video in a browser, or as virtual reality with Oculus headsets.
The Journal first introduced virtual reality programming on its platforms in April, with the award-winning 3D NASDAQ interactive, which showcased a virtual reality guided tour of 21 years of the stock index.
Building on that effort, the Journal today released its first foray into 360° and virtual reality video, with a new piece profiling American Ballet Theatre soloist Sarah Lane. In the coming weeks, the Journal will use this technology in a major explanatory journalism series.
“Virtual reality and 360° video represent a significant new dimension for journalism,” said Gerard Baker, Editor-in-Chief of The Wall Street Journal. “Because we believe in enabling as wide a range of VR content as possible, we will be open sourcing our mobile 360° video and virtual reality technology later this year. We look forward to working collaboratively with other media organizations towards shaping the future of this innovative way of telling stories.”
The Journal’s mobile 360° video and virtual reality players for iOS and Android were developed in-house. The latest iOS and Android versions are required to experience the video, which is designed to be streamed directly over WiFi. The Wall Street Journal partnered with Vrideo, Inc., for the desktop and Oculus experience.
To learn more about how to use WSJ’s new 360° video technology and virtual reality visit wsj.com/vr.
Contact: Colleen Schwartz Colleen.Schwartz@dowjones.com 212.416.3583
