Disney and Nokia have teamed up as the entertainment giant sets its eyes on the virtual reality market.
Disney has signed a multi-year deal with Nokia to use the brand’s OZO 360-degree cameras for projects across its entertainment portfolio, including content for its films, marketing materials and theme parks.
For use with products such as the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, the US$60,000 (€53,000, £41,200) OZO made its debut in November 2015. Currently facing little or no market competition, the device is soon expected to be joined by offerings from GoPro, Lytro and Jaunt,
the latter securing US$65m in September last year to develop immersive technology, with Disney acting an investor.
Disney recently used the OZO camera to shoot 360-degree video extras for
The Jungle Book, including interviews with the cast and a short film about the film’s world premiere.
"VR represents a new frontier in storytelling, and we're thrilled to be bringing this VR technology to the team at Disney," said Ramzi Haidamus, president at Nokia Technologies.
"OZO will help Disney bring their film properties to life in new ways through immersive entertainment experiences, and our focus will be on helping them get the most out of VR as they begin to uncover all that it has to offer."