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The living room has long been the epicenter of media consumption. Over the years, operators and media companies have continually strived to elevate the experience by introducing new technologies and ways for consumers to connect with each other and with the world around them. Operators have incorporated TV, the internet, home and also mobile phones into their offering, and now thanks to partnerships between operators, media and technology companies, Extended Reality (XR) is set to join the offer and become part of the living room experience.
Since the TV began to dominate the living room, viewers have consumed media in a highly passive way. However, the tide is turning, and the living room is on the brink of a transformation. With XR, Pay TV operators will be able to introduce consumers to a new layer of communication and interaction. Immersive technologies allow users not only to watch videos but also to immerse themselves in a shared virtual space where they can engage with friends, creating a social and dynamic media experience. By incorporating XR into their offering, operators have the opportunity to redefine the consumer's relationship with video as well as with media interactivity.
Traditional TV is limited by its physical constraints but with XR, the boundaries of engagement extend and the limitations are dissolved. Imagine watching a sports event where the game happens not on a screen but in the space in front and around you. You can enjoy the action from different angles while chatting with friends as if they were right there with you. XR transforms media consumption from a passive limited experience into an immersive and interactive shared one, without physical limitations. Pay TV Operators and media companies have the chance to leverage XR to enhance their offerings, creating a quality of connection and experience that goes beyond what consumers can even imagine.
Strategic collaborations between industry leaders in technology, Pay TV Operators, and media companies that we’re now seeing will deliver a new era of next-generation user experiences. By incorporating XR into their broader offering, XR goes from being a standalone feature to becoming an integral part of the overall living room experience. From entertainment and social interaction to information and education, XR can be seamlessly integrated into an operator's services, providing consumers with a multifaceted and enriched experience.
The collaboration between Accedo and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. aims to innovate and launch scalable XR services on advanced XR hardware. Committed to further enriching user experiences, Accedo works to connect industry leaders in relevant fields and foster innovation that makes a substantial impact in the market, leveraging Qualcomm Technologies' extensive global footprint with OEMs and operators, as well as Accedo's industry expertise within the sports, media, and operator ecosystem.
XR Hub powered by Snapdragon® is a reference platform designed to be a multi-functional hub in modern living rooms. It goes beyond traditional TV capabilities, enabling smart home AI control and offering immersive, multi-user AR-enhanced sports and media streaming experiences via lightweight wireless AR glasses and using the Snapdragon Spaces™ XR Developer Platform distributed compute architecture and developer platform. To make this possible, Accedo plays a crucial role in developing white-label software to enable and augment these immersive experiences. Accedo and Qualcomm Technologies aim to transform home entertainment and introduce next-gen technologies to sports and media streaming platforms.
Pay TV Operators can delve into the realm of immersive viewing by developing or acquiring VR content. This move not only provides subscribers with unique and immersive experiences but also opens the door to distributing VR-compatible headsets, elevating the traditional viewing experience to a new level. Additionally, creating virtual cinema experiences allows users to enjoy their favorite content in a virtual theater setting, adding a touch of novelty to familiar entertainment.
AR enhancements present another avenue for Pay TV Operators to explore. By integrating AR features, live events such as sports or concerts can be elevated by overlaying real-time information. This dynamic addition enhances the viewer's engagement by providing relevant statistics or additional context. Furthermore, incorporating AR elements into TV shows allows users to interact with characters or objects, blurring the lines between the virtual and real worlds.
The potential of XR extends beyond mere entertainment consumption. For example, Pay TV Operators can leverage the technology for personalized and interactive storytelling, allowing users to influence storylines or explore alternate narrative paths, providing a level of engagement beyond passive viewing. Moreover, integrating VR or AR elements to bring characters or scenes from TV shows into the real world serves to enhance the emotional connection between content and viewer.
The concept of virtual social spaces adds a community dimension to Pay TV offerings. By developing virtual environments where subscribers can interact with each other using avatars or real-time video chat during content consumption, operators foster a sense of shared experience. Hosting virtual watch parties or events within these spaces enhances the communal aspect of entertainment, transforming it from a solitary experience to a shared adventure.
By integrating XR into their offerings, Pay TV Operators can not only differentiate themselves but also provide subscribers with a cutting-edge and unforgettable entertainment experience. However, ensuring cross-device compatibility is paramount for success. Pay TV Operators must design their XR offerings to work seamlessly across a variety of devices, including VR headsets, AR glasses, and mobile devices. Developing applications for popular XR platforms further enhances accessibility, ensuring that users can enjoy XR content on their preferred devices without any constraints.
As technology continues to advance, the fusion of XR and traditional television opens up new possibilities for the future of entertainment. Pay TV Operators that embrace this revolution stand poised to lead the industry into a new era of immersive and interactive content consumption, ultimately taking ownership of the future of the living room experience.
Curious to see how the future of living room entertainment will unfold? Visit the Qualcomm booth no.3E10, Hall 3 at Mobile World Congress 2024 to experience the new XR Hub, XR Sports, and Media and Entertainment demos powered by Accedo. Please book a meeting with us to learn more about how we can work together to enhance the living room experience with XR.
Snapdragon branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Snapdragon Spaces is a trademark or registered trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated.
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