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Credit: DisneyDisney is teaming up with Apple to bring new immersive and 3D viewing experiences to subscribers’ homes for no additional cost.
According to a new Disney announcement, Disney+ subscribers who own Apple Vision Pro will be able to use spatial computing (a system similar to augmented reality/AR created by the tech company) to turn their home spaces into four different immersive experiences. This service will begin on February 2.
At launch, customers will be able to transform their environments into the Disney+ Theater (inspired by the historic Hollywood El Capitan Theatre), the Monsters Inc. (2001) Scare Floor, Avengers Tower in downtown Manhattan as seen in various Marvel Cinematic Universe projects, and Luke Skywalker’s landspeeder cockpit overlooking the binary sunset on the planet Tatooine from the Star Wars franchise.
You can see a demo of the effect here:
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Even more excitingly, Disney has also announced that Apple Vision Pro will automatically give audiences 3D capability for dozens of movies. According to the press statement, the launch will include movies like Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Encanto (2021), Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), and Elemental (2023). Disney also plans to convert more movies to a 3D experience, though it has not announced any further titles or timeframe.
Disney+ subscribers who have purchased movies via the Apple TV+ app that include a 3D option will also be able to access those. Additionally, the launch of the Disney-Apple partnership will include new streaming immersive content, like Alicia Keys: Rehearsal Room, the athletic program Adventure, the animal-themed Wild Life, and Prehistoric Planet Immersive.
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In a statement, Disney CEO Bob Iger praised the partnership between his company and Apple, saying:
“At Disney, we’re constantly searching for new ways to entertain, inform, and inspire by combining exceptional creativity with groundbreaking technology to create truly remarkable experiences. Apple Vision Pro is a revolutionary platform that will bring our fans closer to the characters and stories they love while immersing them more deeply in all that Disney has to offer. We’re proud to once again be partnering with Apple to bring extraordinary new Disney experiences to people around the world.”
The one big caveat of this deal is that Disney is just providing the means to watch 3D movies and utilize the immersive environment experience, not the actual hardware. The Apple Vision Pro will become available in the United States on February 2 (the same date as the services become available on Disney+) and will cost consumers an eye-watering $3,499.
That is a pretty hefty cost to experience state-of-the-art 3D viewing at home, but there are always people out looking for the best in new technology. It is also likely another strategy by Disney to develop its streaming platform as the main focus of its content division, even as it loses a staggering amount of money every year. However, it’s clear that Disney has decided streaming is the only path for its future.
Are you interested in the Apple Vision Pro features of Disney+? Let us know in the comments below!