Introducing Apple Immersive Video
It’s easy to write the Apple Vision Pro off as being “dead in the water” at this point. After all, the evidence is mounting that Apple is going to discontinue the spatial computing device in the future. But that doesn’t mean Apple’s XR journey is over – as evidenced by Apple Immersive Video.
Sure, “immersive video” doesn’t sound as exciting as a brand-new mixed reality headset, or a pair of augmented reality glasses – but it does have potential. With this new “storytelling format” designed exclusively for the Apple Vision Pro, the tech giant is demonstrating its potential to a wider range of consumers – particularly content creators.
Apple isn’t just promising 3D video experiences here, like the ones you can get with YouTube on other mixed-reality headsets. It’s introducing a new 8K viewing experience with spatial audio and an impressive 180-degree field of view built in.
Here’s everything you need to know about Apple Immersive Video, and what it means to the future of XR arts, media, and entertainment.
What is Apple Immersive Video?
Apple Immersive Video is a new video format, designed for the Apple Vision Pro, that leverages 3D video capture, spatial audio, and a 180-degree field of view. Basically, it enables media creators to design highly immersive viewing experiences that put people straight in the heart of the action.
Announced in July 2024, Immersive Video is still in its early stages, but Apple has already begun rolling out experiences designed with this format for users to try. As an example, users can view highlights from the 2023 Major League football finals, which transport you directly into the heart of the field, allow you to explore the locker room with the players, and so on.
Creators working with Apple to produce Immersive Video content have raved about the format too. For instance, the first short film (submerged) released for the Apple Vision Pro was announced in October 2024. Award-winning filmmaker Edward Berger described the Immersive Video format as an impressive “new medium” that expands the horizon of storytelling.
According to him, Apple Immersive Video inspired him to tell a story in a way that simply wasn’t possible before. He even said that he thinks that the format is going to change the future of media.
What Can You Watch with Apple Immersive Video?
Since announcing the Immersive Video format, and promising to revolutionize the future of XR-based entertainment, Apple and its partners have only released a handful of XR media experiences. Aside from the sports-related content mentioned above, there are a range of options to choose from, including series-based content, concerts, documentaries, and films.
Here’s a quick look at what we’ve seen so far.
Boundless: The First TV Series
Boundless, introduced in July 2024, is a series that invites viewers to explore new locations and trips like never before. The first installment in the series was the “Hot Air Balloons” video, which takes Apple Vision Pro users to the skies over the landscape of Cappadocia in Türkiye.
After that, in the fall, Apple introduced a new “Arctic Surfing” video, which allows viewers to enjoy surfers exploring regions of the Arctic Circle. We found both experiences to be extremely impressive – it’s not just like watching a YouTube clip. It really feels almost like you’re actually there – in the action, with the people you’re watching.
Wild Life
Wild Life is another “series” on the Apple Immersive Video platform, targeted at nature lovers. This series takes viewers into the heart of Kenya, where they can join the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust helping orphaned elephants to find their way in life. You can watch these elephants frolic in mud baths (occasionally flinching when mud flies up towards you).
Later in the year, Apple also released another video for Wild Life which introduces a group of divers in the Bahamas, swimming with apex predators.
Elevated
The initial episode of the Elevated aerial travel series takes viewers above volcanoes, waterfalls, and incredible landscapes across the longest island chain in the world: Hawaii. In the second episode, viewers can take a trip to New England, where they’ll see the region in all of its colorful glory during the autumn months, and view a range of coastlines and rivers.
Submerged
The first scripted short film in Apple Immersive Video, Submerged, is probably the one that’s gained the most attention (particularly from media creators). This experience premiered in Fall 2024, and introduces viewers to an incredible landscape in the midst of World War II.
The action-adventure tale brings Vision Pro users into the heart of a story where submarine sailors struggle to navigate and survive a torpedo attack. It’s honestly one of the most impressive storytelling experiences ever released – highlighting just how valuable XR can be in the media landscape.
2024 NBA All-Star Weekend
For sports fans, Apple Immersive Video goes beyond the 3D viewing apps offered by groups like the NBA, immersing viewers deeper into the action. The NBA All-Star weekend, for instance, offers access to an immersive short film that takes you into the Slam Dunk contest, the Rising Stars of the industry, and the first ever NBA vs WNBA 3-point challenge, with behind-the-scenes footage.
You can genuinely explore the court and see players from perspectives you’ve never considered before – all without the need to actually travel and pay for tickets.
The Weeknd Concert
The Weeknd is no stranger to immersive storytelling – just look at the unique experiences he’s created for things like Universal Studio’s Halloween Horror Nights. With Apple Immersive Video, this creator offered fans a premier concert experience in mixed reality.
Other artists are following suite, with a growing catalog of Apple Vision Pro experiences, like the “Concert for One” musical extravaganza from singer-songwriter RAYE.
Red Bull Big-Wave Surfing
Finally, for thrill seekers, Red Bull brings its big-wave surfing experience into the Apple Immersive Video landscape. Here you can join elite surfers as they attempt to overcome some of the heaviest waves in the world, just off the coast of Teahupo’o, Tahiti.
How to Watch Apple Immersive Video
As mentioned above, Apple Immersive Video is only available for Apple Vision Pro, and VisionOS users for now. It doesn’t seem like Apple has any plans to extend this “storytelling” format to other devices yet – but who knows what the future might hold.
If you have an Apple Vision Pro headset, all you need to do is download the Apple TV app (you can also watch a range of 3D videos through this). Once you have the app downloaded, select it from within your Apple Vision Pro headset, then:
- Select Home in the tab bar
- Choose any title that says Apple Immersive Or you can head to Search and select the “Only on Vision Pro” option to visit the editorial room. Here, you’ll see all of the Apple Immersive titles alongside top 3D movies available for Apple TV.
- Pinch and hold over the title you want to watch to download it (this will ensure you can watch it offline). Alternatively, just pinch to select the video and watch it immediately.
One thing worth keeping in mind is when we were testing the Apple Immersive Videos feature, we did notice a few bugs from time to time. For instance, the headset sometimes struggles to “restart” playback if you need to take your headset off and come back to it.
If you find the experience struggles to load after a quick break, the only thing you can really do is restart the Apple TV app, or your headset.
How to Create Apple Immersive Videos
Right now, Apple doesn’t offer a lot of unique tools to help creators actually produce “Immersive Video” experiences. You can record spatial videos on an iPhone and upload them to the cloud to view on your headset – but this doesn’t give you the full experience.
What makes Apple Immersive Videos unique is that they’re 8K videos, with included spatial sound and a 180-degree field of view. You can’t recreate that with a standard smartphone. Apple has partnered with a video camera company to create a solution for recording Immersive Videos, however.
The BlackMagic Design USRA Cine Immersive camera is the first system specifically designed to capture Immersive Video for the Vision Pro. It includes a fixed, custom lens system, designed for Apple. The sensor also supports an 8160 x 7200 resolution per eye, for Vision Pro users, and 16 stops of dynamic range. Unfortunately, we can’t see many amateur videographers using this kit.
Right now its available for preorders at a cost of $29,995 in the US only. That’s a pretty hefty price to pay for a new camera – unless you’re running a world-leading film studio, of course.
Apple Immersive Video: What it Means for XR Media
For years, art, media, and entertainment experts have been exploring the potential of extended reality for creating more immersive, engaging experiences. However, we’ve really only scratched the surface of what’s possible with “3D videos”, and immersive museum or concert tours.
Apple Immersive Video really seems to be taking things up a notch. It’s introducing the potential for a new era of content creation – one that puts viewers in the heart of experiences like never before. In the months ahead, Apple is planning on introducing more content to its Immersive Video collection, and honestly – we’re excited to see it.
However, with the hefty costs associated with creating this type of content, it’s uncertain whether immersive video will become the next “big video trend”. We don’t think we can expect to see this type of video experience emerging in your local cinema any time soon, for instance.
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