Today, at the Mobile World Congress, Telefónica presented its innovative TV Virtual Experience project, a new way of watching television based on virtual reality, permitting the user’s full immersion.

This initiative, which constitutes a further step towards the television of the future, capitalizes on the full potential of virtual reality technology to access the contents of Movistar+ and create 3D worlds enabling users to enjoy a sensory involvement in them.

At the Congress Telefónica is exhibiting an application prototype for customized multi-platform virtual reality, with two environments for enjoying immersive 360 experiences: a private virtual room for enjoying Movistar+ contents on a large 192” 2D screen and a public virtual room for sharing the viewing of mass Movistar+ contents with other users, including film premieres and sporting events.

This virtual reality experience is interactive, as it can be shared with other users joining in the form of avatars, with whom it is possible to speak by means of 3D audio.

The application is compatible with the main virtual reality platforms: Oculus, Microsoft and Steam VR. The glasses required to view the contents may have different manufacturers, technical specifications and prices, such as Samsung Gear VR (usable with a Samsung S6 smartphone or a later version), Oculus Rift, Lenovo Mirage and HTC VIVE. A PC with at least the processing capacity of a seventh-generation Intel i5 processor is required.

In terms of the contents, three types are on offer: Movistar+ live channels such as #0, video on demand (VoD), with original Movistar+ production series such as La Peste and La Zona, and 360 content such as the ACB Final and the Locomundo programme. These recordings have been made with Samsung 360 round cameras as part of the global strategic agreement reached by Telefónica and Samsung.

In addition, the main content being watched on the 2D screen is complemented by floating screens upon which users can view transmedia interactive contents for the VoD contents, tweets based on the contents and recommendations for contents similar to what is being shown on the main screen.

Similarly, TV Virtual Experience permits the positioning of products, given that, while the main content is being played, interactive 3D advertising objects can appear inside the virtual room, enabling the user to obtain more information on the advertised product or service and related offers and even make purchases by means of a direct click on the floating object/advert.

This experience constitutes one more step towards the television of the future whereby, as a result of the new technologies, an integral experience will be achieved, enabling users to switch from being passive subjects to interacting with the contents and adapting them to their needs.The above will be achieved through the use of the devices with the most advanced immersion experiences provided by Telefónica.