Disney and Apple break new ground with Disney+ on Apple Vision Pro including virtual environments and 3D content

Jan 16, 2024 in "The Walt Disney Company"

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Disney and Apple Vision Pro

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Posted: Tuesday January 16, 2024 9:21am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Disney+ will launch February 2, 2024 on Apple Vision Pro, Apple's new spatial computer, offering Disney+ subscribers with a Vision Pro device a new way to stream entertainment at no additional cost.

"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," said Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company. "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."

Disney and Apple Vision Pro

At launch, viewers can transform their space into one of four Disney+ environments, bringing them even closer to the story. Each environment includes animations and sounds that make the space feel alive, including Easter eggs from films and franchises.

Available only on Apple Vision Pro, Disney+ subscribers will be able to stream the entire catalog – including thousands of TV shows and films, plus access to Hulu content for eligible Disney Bundle subscribers – including: the Disney+ Theater, inspired by the historic El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood; the Scare Floor from Pixar's Monsters Inc.; Marvel's Avengers Tower overlooking downtown Manhattan; and the cockpit of Luke Skywalker's landspeeder, facing a binary sunset on the planet Tatooine from the Star Wars galaxy.

Viewers will be able to watch dozens of popular movies in 3D, like Avatar: The Way of Water, Avengers: Endgame, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Elemental, and Encanto. More titles, including those available exclusively to Disney+ subscribers, will be announced at a later date. Apple Vision Pro users can also rent or purchase most 3D movies through the Store tab in the Apple TV app. Users who previously purchased Disney movies that include 3D versions from the Apple TV app will be able to access those 3D versions on Apple Vision Pro at no additional cost.

Disney+ on Apple Vision Pro is the result of collaboration between multiple technology teams at the Company, including Disney Studio Technology, Disney Entertainment & ESPN Technology, ILM Immersive, and Skywalker Sound.

Disney and Apple Vision Pro

Disney+ environments were developed using the Universal Scene Description (USD) format. Originally developed by Pixar and open sourced in 2016, USD allows developers to work simultaneously and collaboratively across creation tools and development pipelines to compose complex 3D experiences, at scale, across many applications, and in real time. The Alliance for OpenUSD – a group formed by Pixar and Apple, among others – is working to standardize the USD format across the industry.

Using Dolby Vision and Multiview High Efficiency Video Coding(MV-HEVC), 3D movies on Disney+ will deliver UHD resolution in HDR, unfiltered and independent for each eye, and at a high frame rate for several titles.

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sedati8 days ago

!!!

wdwmagic9 days ago

Tech YouTuber tries out WDI's HoloTile floor to explore a virtual Disney Park with Apple Vision Pro https://www.wdwmagic.com/other/walt-disney-imagineering/news/26apr2024-tech-youtuber-tries-out-wdis-holotile-floor-to-explore-a-virtual-disney-park-with-apple-vision-pro.htm

Tha Realest9 days ago

Yes, but they didn’t pump the brakes on iPad production a few months after it debuted. It was, and remains, a highly popular item.

UNCgolf9 days ago

I actually think the iPad is the best comparison. Obviously successful, but maxed out as a secondary device rather than something transformational that replaced existing tech. It's really a luxury item that gets significant use from a relatively small percentage of people, even among owners; most people I know (including me) who have an iPad or some other tablet hardly ever use it. VR/AR (mainly AR, IMO) may get to that replacement place eventually, but I think that's still a long way off. I don't see it as something that's close to happening in the next decade+.

GhostHost10009 days ago

As cool as it is, regardless of the pricing, I just don’t see mass people frequently wearing something physically on their heads for long periods of time to use it.

Notes from Neverland9 days ago

Those quickly dismissing this are forgetting how everyone laughed at the iPad or other somewhat recent technical achievements that went on to become huge once they found their footing.

wdwmagic9 days ago

Yes I've been around it for 40 years, and Apple Vision Pro is the most impressive of computer technology I've ever used. I think this is the start of what will become the standard for computing and the biggest computing shift we will see in probable our lifetime.

pigglewiggle9 days ago

I have to admit, it does sound a little scary, that instead of me actually being in the room with someone, they can have a virtual image of me and be satisfied with that instead. Will the virtual image show all the weight I will gain once I figure out I never need to leave the house? 😄 I'm (mostly) kidding.

Ayla9 days ago

Since you're Gen X (as am I), then you know VR has been around for almost 40 years and still has gone nowhere. It will never be a part of 'real' everyday life.

Fido Chuckwagon9 days ago

Lot of information out there that A/R, V/R is really bad for young people whose eyes are still developing though, which should box it out for most children/young adults. Similar studies for screen usage in general of course, but not to the level of A/R, V/R.

Trauma9 days ago

I didn’t say you’re an idiot. What Im saying is it’s a lot of money for a subpar experience. Battery life is terrible Visual experience is ok. Audio is terrible in comparison to a quality home theater setup. Its uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time. It’s limited to a solo experience. Even if you live alone you may have interaction with other humans that you want to watch some contact with. The only advantage I can think of is you can travel with it.

JD809 days ago

Love when people who don't like a thing assume everyone else shouldn't like a thing and if you do you're an idiot.

Trauma9 days ago

The Vision Pro is leaps above the competition in categories such as visual clarity and ease of use. However, due to lack of applications, it still suffers from the same downfall as its competitors such as Meta Quest with a lack of use cases after the novelty wears off.

Mireille9 days ago

Apple currently is better about privacy than most other technology companies, I do believe that and it's part of the reason I moved to an iPhone after having Samsungs for most of the past 15 years. But Apple has shown they can't provide all the software needed to make the Vision Pro worthwhile, so they either have to place strict rules on those making software for it, on top of the 30% off the top they take for anything sold in their app store, (which could well drive developers from even making software for the device), or allow developers to be more invasive to earn money via advertising and data collection. It's easier now on the iPhone because it has too big of a share of the market in the US to ignore, but the Vision Pro doesn't; no AR or VR device does. It needs software to build demand for the device so they don't have the same weight to essentially force developers to make it on Apple's terms and the crater in interest since release sure isn't pushing them to. I guess I'm just not convinced. I haven't used a Vision Pro but I have used several VR devices and they were fun and exciting for about 3 months and have sat in my closet for years collecting dust since. And no matter what, this is an evolutionary, not revolutionary, device. AR/VR has been around for decades and every new device has claimed they'd kick off the age of mass adoption. It may happen eventually. Personally, I just doubt it. I could be wrong, but I'd also be interested to see what you feel about Vision Pro in another 6-12 months. Mostly I just see VP users compared to Cybertruck drivers, but then that's the content I lean towards so I'm admittedly working from biased evidence.