Ever since 2015, The New York Times has had a keen interest in immersive technology, and over the past few years VRFocus has diligently followed their trail. From partnering with Google to produce virtual reality (VR) related works for the Google Cardboard head-mounted device (HMD), to NYTVR and them producing daily 360 degree videos for the Samsung Gear VR. And of course from there onto their work with augmented reality (AR), such as experiences relating to the 2018 Winter Olympics, the war in Syria, and the eruption of the Fuego volcano.
All this being considered, it shouldn’t be that surprising that The New York Times has gotten out of the blocks early by just announced it will be bringing its brand content to the Magic Leap One Creator Edition, which received a surprise launch earlier today.
Utilising Magic Leap’s flagship mixed reality (MR) product, The New York Times will be bringing new content to the Magic Leap One, as well as items that you might already be familiar with. In fact, the first offering by the outlet will be an MR version of its AR experience relating to the volcanic eruption in Guatemala that was mentioned above, that will utilise Magic Leap’s web browser Helio.
“The New York Times is dedicated to helping people understand the world through unrivalled, on-the-ground, expert and deeply reported independent journalism.” Said Steve Duenes, the Assistant Managing Editor of The New York Times in a statement. “As we continue to integrate new forms of storytelling, like mixed reality, into our news report, we are able to bring Times journalism to readers in a way that makes it more immediate than ever before.”
The news comes out at the same time as the New York Times celebrates gaining $24 million (USD) in profit, thanks in part to its digital subscribers. As platforms for news change and how digital and print co-exist continues to evolve, traditional news outlets continue to look to new ways to secure eyeballs on their content – so it’s likely we’ll see more experiences from The New York Times before too long.
via Mint VR