Youku taps Nokia OZO VR portfolio for content development

Chinese digital entertainment platform Youku has selected Nokia’s OZO VR technology to create immersive VR content to its users.

By utilizing Nokia’s OZO VR solution, Youku users and content creators will be able to experience and share VR content including natively captured spatial audio.

Youku will utilize the entire OZO VR solution, which includes the OZO Camera, OZO Software Suite, OZO Live and OZO Player SDK in the creation and distribution of content ranging from film and television to news and documentary, as well as professional user-generated content featuring Youku’s top talent.

Youku will be the first Chinese content producer and distributor to have fully integrated the Nokia OZO ecosystem of technologies, said Paul Melin, vice president of digital media at Nokia Technologies

“China is one of the most progressive VR markets in the world with an appetite for high-quality virtual reality experiences that is enormous and growing,” said Melin. “Our collaboration with Youku enables millions more people to enjoy incredibly immersive video and audio VR content through a well-known and trusted platform.”

Youku will also integrate Nokia’s OZO Player SDK and OZO Audio solutions into all its platforms, mobile apps and consumer offerings.

The OZO Player SDK allows VR professionals to create VR app experiences on most major platforms with a single, unified development interface. Full-featured reference players are also included in the SDK for all supported platforms, including Oculus Desktop, Oculus Mobile/GearVR, HTC Vive and Google VR for Android and iOS – making it easy to reach the broadest possible audience with a minimum of development effort.

The multi-platform OZO Player SDK is now available in a free version as well as a Pro tier with more features and larger deployment options.

“Virtual reality has become a creative and compelling medium for art, cinema, education, gaming, travel and a growing number of experiences,” said Jerry Li, general manager of Alibaba Home Entertainment Business.