GoPro has announced that they are acquiring Kolor, developers of software which helps create and display spherical VR content. It’s a sensible move for GoPro, as there is more and more VR spherical content being created using rigs housing GoPro cameras.
Kolor’s Autopano Video application stitches the GoPro camera footage together. The app comes in two flavors, standard and pro. The pro version adds stereoscopic stitching and GPU-accelerated processing.
Kolor Eyes is the 360 degree video player which runs on a variety of platforms mentioned earlier. The desktop version of the application supports the Leap Motion Controller, which allows gestural control of the player. The Windows version of Kolor Eyes also supports the Oculus Rift DK2.
The announcement was made as part of GoPro’s Q1 2015 earnings call, where they GoPro reported adjusted EPS of $0.24, with total revenue of $363.1 million. It was the second highest quarterly revenue in the history of the company.
There was no announcement regarding the sale price or terms of the deal between GoPro and Kolor.
GoPro To Acquire Kolor, A Leader In Virtual Reality and Spherical Media Solutions
SAN MATEO, CALIF. April 28, 2015 – 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 GoPro 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): 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 imagination become our only limitation. We’re excited to see what the world captures and shares with GoPro and Kolor.”
About GoPro, Inc. (NASDAQ:GPRO)
GoPro, Inc. is transforming the way people capture and share their lives. What began as an idea to help athletes self-document themselves engaged in their sport has become a widely adopted solution for people to capture themselves engaged in their interests whatever they may be. From extreme to mainstream, professional to consumer, GoPro enables the world to capture and share its passion. And in turn, the world has helped GoPro become one of the most exciting and aspirational companies of our time.
For more information, visit www.gopro.com or connect with GoPro on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest or LinkedIn.
GOPRO® and HERO® are trademarks or registered trademarks of GoPro Inc. in the United States and other countries.