Skip to main content

New partnership will bring hundreds of live concerts to virtual reality headsets

Audi Virtual Reality Experience
Samsung
Fans of live music soon won’t have to leave their homes to get access to a massive number of live experiences, thanks to a new partnership between production companies Live Nation and NextVR.

The companies will work together to shoot and stream hundreds of live concerts starting this summer, making their available to owners of Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear VR headsets. The company plans to expand to other VR app stores, such as that of the HTC Vive, soon after its initial launch.

Here’s the kicker: At first, all programming will be free.

“NextVR is planning to bring quite a few acts to the platform at no cost and initially — all programming will be free. Pay-for-view programs will likely follow — at a time determined by NextVR and Live Nation,” said a NextVR spokesperson in an interview with Variety.

This is a multiyear deal that NextVR executives likely hope will cement the company as the frontrunner in the world of live virtual reality production, not that they already didn’t have an upper hand in the industry. The tech startup recently raised $30.5 million in Series A funding from cable conglomerates including Time Warner and Comcast.

It makes sense that cable and event companies would want to partner with a virtual reality producers to cover live events. As the VR market grows, immersive home viewing experiences will need to grow with it. Plus, pay-per-view dollars could prove extremely lucrative for big-name artists and large events for which fans have a hard time getting tickets.

The companies have yet to put forth a full concert schedule, but have announced that the first event will take place this summer. Live Nation produces 25,000 live events each year, so the companies should have plenty of shows to choose from.

Editors' Recommendations

Parker Hall
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Parker Hall is a writer and musician from Portland, OR. He is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin…
Best AirPods Pro deals: Get Apple’s flagship earbuds for $122
The Apple Airpods Pro in their charging case.

Apple’s lineup of headphones has grown over the years. It currently makes a number of AirPods models that can be talked about among the best wireless earbuds. Among them are the AirPods Pro. The AirPods Pro are regularly in contention to be among the best headphones overall as well, and because of their popularity it can be difficult to track down AirPods Pro deals worth shopping. We’ve managed to find some out there, however, and below we’ve rounded up all of the best AirPods Pro deals you can shop right now. You’ll find discounts on both new and refurbished AirPods Pro models, as well as some information on why each model might be best for you.
Apple AirPods Pro (Refurbished) — $122, was $220

While there’s a newer model of AirPods Pro available, the first generation Apple AirPods Pro can still hold their own against some of the best wireless earbuds. Made for a slightly more premium user than something like the Apple AirPods 3, the AirPods Pro have higher end features, including active noise cancellation and a transparency mode, which allows you to hear and interact with the world around you while you have the headphones on. Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking is another impressive feature. This makes watching movies and other content a truly immersive experience. This refurbished model of the Apple AirPods Pro comes with free 30-day returns and a 1-year warranty.

Read more
Best Samsung TV deals: Save on 4K TVs, QLED TVs, OLED TVs, 8K TVs
A person watching a Samsung TV.

Sorting through some of the best TV brands is a great way to start a search for a new TV. Samsung comes in at the top of many people’s list, and the electronics giant has a lot to offer if you’re looking for a new TV for your living room, basement, or home theater setup. Samsung regularly kicks out some of the best TVs you can buy, and it offers some great value as well, as it regularly has models among the best TV deals. Currently you can find a number of Samsung TV deals out there. They include 4K and 8K TVs, as well as TVs utilizing a number of different picture technologies such as OLED and QLED. We’ve tracked down what we feel are the best Samsung TV deals to shop right now. Read onward for more details on how to save, and don’t be shy about making a purchase if you see a deal you like, as there’s no telling how long these deals will last.
Samsung 65-inch QN85C QLED 4K Smart TV — $1,300, was $2,000

We find the QN85C to be sitting at just about the perfect price for a TV right now, while still maintaining the qualities and freshness of a much more quality TV. While it is 4K, it uses mini-LED tech, which allows for fine-tuned light control. Remember that the best QLED TVs are typically renowned more for their brightness than contrast; this tech can tip that need for contrast in the QN85C's favor. Other great features of this TV include audio with Dolby Atmos and Object Tracking Sound, 4K upscaling, and motion acceleration to keep fast moving content smooth.

Read more
Tidal vs. Qobuz: Which hi-res music streaming service is for you?
Tidal app showing on iPhone 15 Pro.

Spotify and Apple Music may be the most popular music streaming services in the world, but services like Tidal and Qobuz offer plenty of great features and a higher level of listening to anyone making a switch. Each offers hi-res audio and is available on desktop and mobile devices. Thanks to a recent switch in Tidal subscriptions, the prices between the two services are now very comparable, although one is slightly cheaper.

Below, we compare Tidal and Qobuz based on price, sound quality, and supported devices to determine which platform is better.
Price
For many years, Tidal has stood out for its hi-res music offerings, a feature long shared with Qobuz. However, the landscape has changed, and now other services like Apple Music and Amazon Music (and soon Spotify, hopefully) have also ventured into the hi-res music space.

Read more