Vienna-based Rocketbike ARVR has announced the launch of A1 NOW VR, a new virtual reality live TV streaming project developed for A1 Telekom Austria. The app is currently on the Oculus store, however, is only available in select countries where there is an A1 Now service.
The translated German press release is below.
Experience the First Live TV in Virtual Reality with A1 NOW VR
Press Release – 26.07.2018 – With A1 NOW, A1 delivers Austria’s most innovative TV experience to the smartphone with over 40 series, and 11 in brilliant HD. Now, along with their development partner, Rocketbike ARVR, A1 further revolutionizes mobile TV by bringing virtual reality to its viewers via a private and exclusive VR cinema.
Award-winning documentaries, action movies or even historical films now offer a completely new viewing experience. Viewers now have the opportunity to watch epic nature documentaries on an almost unlimited screen size and as a result, will have the feeling of being completely immersed in new and exciting surroundings. The unique, grid-like user interface allows the user to select VR content from a “grid wall”, where all stations can be seen live, simultaneously, which can then be selected directly by “zapping” in a completely new way.
A1 NOW VR – How it Works
To experience A1 NOW in Virtual Reality, you will need a Samsung Gear VR headset. To try out the A1 NOW VR app, it is necessary to first load the Oculus Store app on the Android smartphone and create a corresponding user account. Then, in the “normal” A1 NOW app, just point to “NOW VR” in the navigation and click to download the NOW VR app. After installing the new app, the viewer can then view all current A1 NOW content in VR and can enjoy it in completely new settings and environments.
A1 NOW can be registered at www.A1NOW.tv for all A1 customers. When registering, the free months included in the A1 tariff are displayed. After the expiration of the free months included in the A1 tariff, the service costs will be 4.90 euros per month.
About Rocketbike ARVR
Rocketbike ARVR GmbH is an immersive technology development studio based in Vienna, Austria. They create innovative platform solutions for brands & content creators to reach audiences & consumers in new ways.
It was founded in 2014 by veterans from the games, film, marketing and TV industries that have worked on everything from mobile games to AAA blockbuster franchises for some of the biggest studios and publishers in the world.
They are currently developing the virtual reality entertainment platform: booomVR which they have recently licensed to VR game development studio Playsnak to power their upcoming gaming platform.
About A1 Telekom Austria Group
A1 Telekom Austria Group, listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange, is a leading provider of digital services and communications solutions in Central and Eastern Europe with more than 24 million customers, currently operating in seven countries: Austria and Slovenia (A1), Bulgaria (A1 Bulgaria), Belarus (velcom), Croatia (Vipnet), the Republic of Serbia (Vip mobile) and the Republic of Macedonia (one.Vip).
Sean Earley is the Executive Editor of AR/VR Magazine & co-founder of RobotSpaceship Podcast Network. He is the Director of New Biz Development and Publishing at KEMWEB, a musician, producer & consultant. He loves guitars, VR and coffee.
