Finnish company Nokia might be synonymous with indestructible cellphones across the internet, but in reality the company are making a return to the market space in an all-together different product category: virtual reality.
Nokia – the mobile division of which was bought out by Microsoft last year – unveiled the Ozo camera yesterday – a next-generation camera aimed at capturing 360 degree video and high quality audio.
Aimed at professional photographers and content creators alike rather than a general consumer audience, Nokia’s aim with the Ozo is to bolster the development of virtual reality experiences.
Ramzi Haidamus, the president of Nokia Technologies, said in a statement that “Ozo aims to advance the next wave of innovation in VR by putting powerful tools in the hands of professionals who will create amazing experiences for people around the world… We expect that virtual reality experiences will soon radically enhance the way people communicate and connect to stories, entertainment, world events and each other. With Ozo, we plan to be at the heart of this new world”
With the Ozo, Nokia is the latest tech conglomerate to join the virtual reality arms-race, following the likes of Facebook’s acquisition of headset maker Oculus, and Google’s Project Cardboard virtual reality headset.
The Ozo captures 3D stereoscopic video and spatial audio through eight synchronised sensors and an equal number of integrated microphones. Nokia’s plan with the Ozo is to enable recorded content to be published to commercial virtual reality headsets, such as HTC’s forthcoming Vive or Facebook’s Oculus.
The Ozo won’t be an uncontested entry for long – GoPro recently announced plans to roll out a similar six-camera product later this year, which, according to the firm, will be capable of capturing spherical content.
While there’s no present word on the Ozo’s pricing or availability, it is expected that the device will be positioned as a premium professional product.
What are your thoughts on Nokia’s surprising move? Will the Ozo sufficiently bolster the development of virtual reality experiences? Let us know in the comments below!
