GoPro has announced its acquisition of Kolor, maker of the stitching software used for spherical 360-degree videos and panoramas. The video above shows what can be done with both companies joining forces. You get a interactive 360-degree video which was recorded with three GoPro Heros and stitched together with Kolor software. Viewed using Chrome, the video is fully interactive.
Now that there is a software solution in house for GoPro, they can now begin producing rigs and accessories to house multiple cameras. There are third party accessories but it can get pricey or you can make one if you have access to a 3D printer (schematics for 6 GoPros).
Continue reading for full press release.
SAN MATEO, Calif., April 28, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- GoPro, Inc. (NASDAQ:GPRO), enabler of some of today's most engaging content, today announced an agreement to acquire Kolor, a leader in virtual reality and spherical media solutions. All Kolor employees will join GoPro and will maintain operations at their headquarters in Savoie, France.
Spherical media enables a range of immersive viewing experiences and is an essential building block of virtual reality (VR), a technology poised to transform entertainment, education and other industries. Kolor's solutions enable users to combine multiple photographs or videos to produce high-resolution panoramic or spherical content that can be enjoyed on mobile devices, the web or in a virtual reality environment.
"We are excited to welcome Kolor to GoPro," said Nicholas Woodman, GoPro's founder and CEO. "GoPro's capture devices and Kolor's software will combine to deliver exciting and highly accessible solutions for capturing, creating and sharing spherical content."
GoPro's "Land, Air and Sea" spherical video demonstrates what's possible with a few GoPros combined with Kolor's software. Check it out on these platforms:
Mobile Devices: Download Kolor's 360 Video Player (Kolor Eyes) from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android)
Virtual Reality Experience: Download Kolor's 360 Video Player (above) and use with Cardboard (https://www.google.com/get/cardboard/get-cardboard.html)
From your PC or Mac over the web: www.gopro.com/spherical
YouTube 360 (on the web using Chrome only): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMBDA-Our4w&feature=youtu.be
"Land, Air and Sea" and other spherical videos from GoPro will soon be available on other VR platforms such as Oculus VR and Samsung Gear VR.
"Kolor's mission is to enable the ultimate visual experience - to transport an audience to another time and space. Joining GoPro makes this possible," said Alexandre Jenny, CEO of Kolor. "When the best spherical media software is combined with the world's most versatile capture devices, our imaginations become our only limitation. We're excited to see what the world captures and shares with GoPro and Kolor."
