Virtual Reality may finally be coming of age in 2015 and it’s truly about time. We’ve been promised virtual reality in many forms for a long time now, and it looks like the technology in both hardware and software may finally be about to get to the point where VR can go mainstream. In fact, in some cases, it’s already here.
With the likes of Google Cardboard and other virtual reality headsets that take a smartphone and use that as the power behind the VR experience now proving popular, it’s over to software developers to produce apps that take advantage of the unique possibilities put forward by VR itself. The App Store is already home to plenty of apps that claim to show virtual reality off just fine, and many of them are free.
In fact, we just so happen to have a list of twelve virtual reality apps for iPhone that are available on the App Store now and, importantly, won’t cost you single penny to try out.
Google Cardboard: One of the most famous, Google’s app helps set the Cardboard hardware up and then offers some VR experiences to get you started as well. Download it from here.
NOON VR: Designed for the Noon headset, Noon VR takes videos already on your device and plays them back in VR space. Trippy. It also has some really cool videos of its own and lets you watch or share experiences with other users around the world. Get it from here.
Google Street View: It’s Street View, but in virtual reality. What’s not to like here? Nothing, that’s what! You can download this app from here.
Roller Coaster VR: We don’t think we can explain this app any better than its own App Store blurb – “Ride a deserted roller-coaster amidst a tropical island.” What more can we really say? Interested? Get it for free here.
Skydive360: If you have ever fancied skydiving but for whatever reason haven’t managed to do it yet, then Skydive360 is the next best thing. In fact, given the lack of a possibility that you’ll plummet to the earth at speed, we’d argue this is even better than the real thing. You can get it from here.
Google Spotlight Stories: Created by critically-acclaimed filmmakers, these movies live in a 360-degree world and are truly immersive. Google Spotlight Stories app can be downloaded from App Store.
Discovery VR: Explore the world from the comfort of your own chair by using Discovery VR and the magical world of technology. Download from here.
Vrse: Another app that plays videos, this time of the curated kind. Also featuring directional binaural sound, this could be one to check out. Download Vrse app from here.
Driver’s Seat VR: Want to take a ride in one of Infiniti’s Q60 and QX30 concept cars? Well, now you can. Get it from here.
Jurassic Virtual Reality (VR): That name surely gives it away, but if you like dinosaurs, then this will get you as close to the real thing as you’re ever likely to get. Get it from here.
VR Cities: Explore some of the world’s greatest cities without having to ever catch a plane or lose your luggage. Sounds awesome, doesn’t it? Download VR Cities from here.
VR ONE Cinema: Created by the people at Zeiss, this app will let you watch movies as if you were watching them in 3D at the cinema. As if by magic! You can add your own downloaded movies locally using iTunes. Get VR ONE Cinema from App Store here.
That should be plenty to keep the budding virtual reality enthusiast going for a while; we can’t wait to see what these apps will be like in a year from now. The possibilities are almost endless.
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