Future of Immersive Media-Content Trends and Opportunities

Innovations in technology have ushered in a new era for digital content consumption by introducing unparalleled levels of interactivity and immersion. These developments open up a range of possibilities from education to entertainment that will reshape consumers’ access to content for years to come.

An unprecedented shift is occurring in our media ecosystems. Today there’s a rapid evolution of immersive media formats that impact how we consume content, share ideas, and even connect with others. Examples of these include 360° video, Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR), and volumetric capture.

The Immersive Future is Here

We invited industry experts to the VRARA Mumbai Chapter Launch event to discuss the potential of XR technology and how it will change the trajectory of future events.

The panel discussion moderated by Arnav Sood-Market Growth (Jio Tesseract) explored the impact of XR on all facets of our life — from social interactions, technological advancements to our general perception of reality, space and time.

Notable speakers from the panel: Chaitanya Chinchlikar-VP& Business Head (Whistling Woods International), Niraj Ruparel-Head of Mobile and Emerging Tech (Group M), Nuno Folhadela-CEO (ONTOP Studios) and Dave Dolan-Chief Product Officer (Veative Labs) are actively involved in this exciting new frontier.

The panel certainly helped develop the dialogue around the rapidly shifting landscape — including immersive entertainment, gaming, education, media and communication.

Shift to a New Paradigm

New technologies broaden the horizon, explore new frontiers, and encourage a “shift” in how our world views XR.

Imagine being able to walk around in a 3D computer-generated environment and look through the eyes of someone standing there. The content could stretch to the horizon, with believable skies and impossibly tall mountains that look real enough to touch.

The content is so vast that if you run toward the edge, you see the motion blur in real-time — just as if you were running in real life. You can even interact with other avatars who are simultaneously exploring. It’s is no longer science fiction; it’s a reality.

“The immersive experience refers to a spatial field of view, encompassing all the user’s senses (vision, sound, and touch) to create a truly realistic feeling of being physically present in that particular environment.”

-Chaitanya Chinchlikar (VP& Business Head of Whistling Woods International)

As consumers become more comfortable with technology, they will demand more opportunities to experience content in new and exciting ways. There’s a rapid emergence of new immersive mediums and platforms within the mixed-reality entertainment spectrum. Just as websites emerged in the mid-’90s to revolutionize communication, VR/AR/XR today is poised to become the dominant content medium for entertainment and the spread of information.

Onto the future

The immersive revolution has only just begun. As the production and distribution of VR content start to move towards the mass market, we will see a marked shift in industry trends. To think more extensive than ever, farther than ever, different yet again — it’s all about how we communicate and uplift the masses.

“The world is open to different forms of technology, emphasizing upon connecting people through fluid interactions and rich experiences. AR is a massive precursor to the progress of this space.”

-Nuno Folhadela (CEO of ONTOP Studios)

While some have predicted physical reality decline, the rift between 2D and 3D experiences is steadily narrowing. As virtual reality matures and technologies such as eye-tracking improve, we can expect XR to create in situ holographic worlds that are more immersive than ever before.

Immersive technology is at a point where it could reach mass consumer adoption within the next few years. The content was limited until now, and XR worlds relied on linear narrative structures that do not inherently accommodate fertile user-generated content systems. With the arrival of open standards, these new technologies break from the existing limitations to turn into platforms that will enable endless possibilities for social engagement.

Experience XR Tech today

There’s a consensus on defining the surrealism of XR today- a super-sensory interactive state where physical and virtual realities are blended seamlessly. Though virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) technologies are more often seen as isolated concepts, their success is dependent on one another’s growth. The core of this interdependency is content, which creates the illusion of realism that immerses viewers.

As the immersive market is booming, it is vital to look beyond gaming and entertainment towards other industries leveraging this new format. A good starting point could be through education.

“Research and Development is an enabler of a prominent contribution to the XR space. Deeper learning techniques are crucial in the education sector and generate capabilities focused on the progressive understanding of concepts.”

-Dave Dolan (Chief Product Officer of Veative Labs)

Education is one of the most critical and influential sectors in any nation. Introducing immersive technologies in schools from an early age will help educate students and prepare them for a future where technology will become ubiquitous.

Today educators are driving virtual learning experiences to create new opportunities, develop new skills, and positively impact society. The key is understanding how this transformative technology can be used for content generation, accessibility and engagement.

Re-defining The Speculative Future

There is an excellent opportunity to shape the future of how people will consume media, but that requires knowledge. We’ve all heard about VR films, games, advertisements and interactive stories. The panel discussion covered cutting-edge tech as a platform and the critical impact on evolving B2C trends, video consumption, social sharing and data privacy.

Innovators have developed new ways to engage and present users with information, entertainment and more in immersive experiences. Developers are creating applications that can lead to unique media experiences that immerse viewers in content.

“On the developer front, a shift in perspective is integral. Rather than focus on only technology, developers should think from the brand’s viewpoint. Coming up with focussed solutions that will tackle the challenges faced by the stakeholders and bridge the gap between the brands and consumers is essential.”

-Niraj Ruparel (Head of Mobile and Emerging Tech-Group M)

The growth in immersive technology is exponential; this trend line will impact many industries beyond game development, most notably: film, education, advertising, architecture, and healthcare.

Wrapping Up

XR has gone from an experiment to a commonplace. Yet, it is still at its gestation stage. As we accelerate into a new age of technology, augmented and virtual realities are swiftly changing how we interact with each other.

Spanning the gamut of immersive technologies, Augmented, Virtual and Mixed Reality is poised to be the cornerstone of technological progress and help create an impact on industry and society as a whole.

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