YouTube officially joined the virtual reality (VR) race in 2015 with the debut of VR features for its Android app. Now, the video-sharing platform is in for a bevy of new VR content after Google and LG Uplus have struck a deal to collaborate on VR content production.
LG Uplus, the cellular carrier arm of LG, plans to introduce its own VR platform app in the near future as part of efforts to offer VR content for its upcoming 5G network. Under the partnership, which was announced at CES 2019, the VR content will be distributed through both LG Uplus' VR platform app and YouTube.
The South Korean carrier didn't say when it will launch its VR content platform app, but it may debut in the next few weeks as LG Uplus' 5G network is slated for rollout in March. Once its 5G network goes live, LG Uplus plans to also launch its own VR headset. LG's interest in VR hardware is nothing new, and its upcoming headset is said to be featuring six cameras and haptic sensors, according to a patent filed with the World Intellectual Property Organization and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Google formally made inroads into the VR realm in 2016 with the launch of its Daydream View VR headset. Since then, the Mountain View giant has occasionally worked with partners including the National Basketball Association to bring VR content to the platform. This new partnership is the latest expansion to its VR offering.
Source: The Korea Times
