Opera Now Supports 360-degree Videos In VR Headsets

Web browser firm Opera on Thursday (21 September) has released a new developer update which comes with a built-in VR 360 player for leading headsets such as HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and other OpenVR compatible devices, unlocking the immersive world of 360-degree videos for Opera users.

Opera claims that it is the first browser to support 360-degree videos in virtual reality headsets.

The rapid growth of the 360-degree videos and soon WebVR bring a revolution for VR content on the web. However, with limited software support, it has been difficult for VR headset owners to easily enjoy the fast-growing library of 360-degree content on Youtube, Facebook and other video portals.

Opera has begun to focus on creating and embedding direct VR playback into the browser. This functionality enables users to watch virtual reality videos, and standard 2D videos, instantly through their VR headsets.

Opera’s new video playback will not only support 360-degree videos but standard videos as well. You can launch any of your favorite 2D movies or standard 180-degree videos through your headset, creating an awesome, personal movie theater experience.

Krystian Kolondra, Head of Opera browser, said, “This is just the first step on the path for a fully immersive and compatible VR experience on a web browser. With the ever-growing resource of 360-degree content from independent filmmakers and major media and sports companies, it’s hard for VR capabilities to keep up with our imagination.

We especially believe that VR synergizes with sport and there is much to achieve here. We had a pleasure to join the Wrocław Panthers American football club at their training session and shot parts of it in 360 video. Check out how awesome it looks with your VR headset.

To start, we want to make life easier for VR enthusiasts by providing instant VR video playback to your headset without the need of additional software. We will continue to work with our partners to test and support other popular models of VR headsets as they enter the market.”