SBS launches On Demand virtual reality app for iPhone and Android

SBS is the first Australian broadcaster to take on virtual reality with the launch of a new "On Demand VR" app designed specifically for sharing 360-degree video. Compatible with both iOS and Android smartphones, On Demand VR content can be viewed by moving your smartphone around, or through the use of a Google Cardboard VR headset.

But while SBS On Demand's library has thousands of hours of content, On Demand VR has just minutes at the moment: a behind the scenes tour of Heston Blumenthal's Melbourne-based Fat Duck pop-up, and highlights from the 2015 Sydney Margi Gras. The broadcaster has however committed to bolstering its virtual reality offering; the second season of documentary series Untold Australia will launch in 360-degree through the app later this year, and SBS camera operators and editors are being trained in how to produce virtual reality video.

"VR and 360-degree video technology represents the new frontier of storytelling," said SBS Director of Television and Online Content Marshall Heald, "a truly powerful new medium offering audiences unique immersive experiences to give them greater insights and understanding, with distinctive stories that explore our diverse and multicultural world."

SBS On Demand VR is available as a free download for iOS and Android.