Jaunt, a producer and distributor of virtual reality, augmented reality and other immersive content, said it is shifting its business model from trying to attract consumers to licensing its software to media companies, brands and other partners.
The Jaunt platform allows companies with mobile video apps to also offer what it calls XR 360-degree content alongside two-dimensional video without having to create new destinations for different formats and different devices.
In January Sky agreed to use Jaunt’s technology on its VR app.
Jaunt is also starting to offer volumetric content capabilities to licensees, allowing them to create and deploy 3D avatars as part of a larger presentation.
“At Jaunt, we’re always thinking about expanding the boundaries of storytelling by exploring the full immersive content spectrum; from virtual reality, to augmented & mixed reality, volumetric, and even new formats that our advanced development teams are working on,” said Arthur van Hoff, Jaunt CTO & founder. “But our primary focus is empowering our partners to harness these evolving technologies, using the Jaunt XR Platform as the foundation for delivering their cutting-edge immersive content.
Jaunt started in 2013 and has produced immersive content for companies including Google, Diageo, Kia, Manchester United, the NBA and the NFL.
It also wanted to attract an audience to its own Jaunt site, but decided it was better off focusing on using its software to enhance other company’s apps with a platform that supports multiple formats and mobile devices.
“It’s just a much more sound business model for the company going forward than deficit financing content off our balance sheet in the hope that you aggregate a consumer audience,” said David Moretti, VP, corporate development and operations. “We feel much more secure in the business model we’re building today.
Jaunt will continue to operate its consumer destination, but it will be used primarily as a place to show off how new technology works for prospective licensees.
The company confident that virtual reality and augmented reality is not a passing fad.
“These are the first media formats specifically designed for mobile technology,” Moretti said, noting that to do virtual reality, you need to incorporate an accelerometer and gyroscope, while AR needs a camera and GPS.
“These are built from the ground up around mobile, which aligns so closely with the macro media trends of increased consumption of media content on those devices,” he said.
In addition to supporting playback, the Jaunt platform measures and reports on user engagement with the content on the back end. It can also handle advertising applications, but that capability has not been deployed yet.
Jaunt’s new volumetric content systems uses off the shelf software, is portable and provides live 3D images. The technology can be used in a number of ways. A sports network is discussing using it to create 360-degree images of players instead of the standard-issue pictures it now uses on its app, according to Moretti. Another use being considered would capture 360 degree images of celebrities at award show red carpet events that would let viewers get a better look at the fashions being worn.
Jaunt’s investors include The Walt Disney Company, Evolution Media Partners, CMC, Highland Capital Partners, Redpoint Ventures, SMG, Axel Springer, ProSiebenSat.1 SE, The Madison Square Garden Co., Google Ventures, Peter Gotcher, and Sky.
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