Action camera maker GoPro sets to tackle the emerging virtual reality market as it acquires Kolor, a French developer of software for the creation of immersive "spherical content," for an undisclosed sum.
Kolor software stitches multiple photographs or videos into high-resolution 360-degree panoramas. It is something of a pioneer in the field, having created the first interactive VR YouTube video with Intel. GoPro describes such content as an "essential building block" of VR, since it is best consumed through VR headsets such as the Oculus Rift.
One can also check out videos using smartphones and Kolor Eyes, the company's 360-degree video player.
The acquisition announcement comes complete with a video dubbed "Land, Air and Sea"-- a piece of spherical content created using Kolor software and, obviously, GoPro cameras.
"Kolor’s mission is to enable the ultimate visual experience – to transport an audience to another time and space. Joining GoPro makes this possible,” the company says. “When the best spherical media software is combined with the world’s most versatile capture devices, our imagination becomes our only limitation. We’re excited to see what the world captures and shares with GoPro and Kolor.”