As virtual reality content becomes increasingly pervasive so do the apps for users to enjoy this kind of videos. There is now a wide selection of VR media players for Android and iOS. However, since the market is still new, consumers are not yet familiar with them. And since mobile storage space is at a premium, everyone wants to get the app that delivers the perfect ‘quality : resource usage’ ratio.
What Should You Look For in VR Media Players?
The question is: what kind of quality and benefits should users look for in VR media players? When it comes to classic video players, most people know exactly what they are looking for, as they have had a long experience testing various software and apps.
When it comes to VR media players, things are not very different. A reliable player that satisfies the average user’s needs should have the following features:
- Compatible with various video formats;
- Capable of accessing media from various sources, such as local storage and URLs;
- Allow the user to set various parameters for an optimal viewing experience;
- Good head tracking with reduced latency.
These being said, here is our selection of VR media players for Android and iOS you should try:
1. VaR’s VR Video Player
Supported OS: Android
This is one of the best free VR video players for Android devices. It offers great viewing experience both for VR games and 3D videos and supports all modes, such as stereoscopic side by side, stacked, (panorama) 180º and 360º, as well as regular videos.
It is developed by a gaming company, thus it features excellent head tracking and offers the user full control to adjust various parameters, from basic ones (saturation, contrast, brightness) to advanced ones, such as field of view, lens correction, and eye distance.
2. Mobile VR Station
Mobile VR Station is one of the VR media players with the best compatibility as it is a native app written in Obj-C with SceneKit. Thus, it is compatible with every headset and has a very flexible configuration. With it, users can:
- Watch movies in a virtual theater;
- Watch 3D, 180º and 360º content.
- Watch videos and photos stored on the device;
- Experience panoramas with a depth of view;
- Access external video content;
- Watch HTML5 video on Mobile Safari browser using the Micro VR Station extension.
The app offers various projection methodssuch as dome, fulldome, curved, cylinder, and spherical. Also, it can load UTF-8 formatted .srt subtitles for videos. However, you should note that you cannot use Mobile VR Station to play DRM content, such as titles purchased from iTunes.
3. VR Player Pro
Supported OS: Android
VR Player Pro supports all 2D and 3D video files and a wide range of video formats, such as mono, over-under, and side-by-side.
Users can customize their experience with ambient lighting effects and projections such as plane, dome, fulldome, cube, sphere, and cylinder. As for the storage medium, VR player can access both files on local storage and URLs. Moreover, users can use either the keyboard or the gamepad to interact with the app.
4. VR One Cinema
Carl Zeiss is one of the best-known manufactures of camera lenses. Aside from the VR media player, the company also has its own VR phone headset. Although it is a branded player, VR One Cinema stands out for its compatibility with almost any VR headset.
Other useful features of the app:
- Using head movements to select content;
- On-screen menu activation by looking at the exit doors;
- Re-centering viewport for optimal comfort;
- Drag and drop playlist creation.
5. VR Gesture Player
Supported OS: Android
We end this list of recommended VR media players with an Android app that allows users to interact with it by hand gestures. This touchless interaction is extremely comfortable for users who want to experience a truly immersive movie theater. VR Gesture Player is capable of:
- Side-by side 3D and top-bottom video play;
- Head tracking;
- Sleep mode to save battery;
- Ability to search and play YouTube videos.
