"LG Uplus XR Alliance Launches to Film Space with NASA"

Real Space Station VR Footage to Be Released Around November
Collaboration Network Established with Qualcomm and Four Countries' Telecom Operators
Joint Investment and Production of AR, VR Content

▲Sunrise viewed from the International Space Station. Energy is charged through this. [Photo by NASA]

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] The 'XR (Extended Reality) Alliance,' a joint venture led by LG Uplus along with mobile carriers from four countries and Qualcomm, was launched on the 1st. The alliance aims to reduce cost burdens and enhance quality by collaborating on content investment and production. Their first project captured consumers' attention by enabling them to enjoy the International Space Station from the comfort of their homes.

Building the 'XR Alliance' with Qualcomm and China Telecom

According to LG Uplus on the day, the XR Alliance includes Qualcomm (USA), China Telecom (China), Bell Canada (Canada), and KDDI (Japan), with LG Uplus serving as the inaugural chair company. Content companies Atlas V (France) and Felix & Paul Studios (Canada) joined as partners. This alliance is notable as it was formed amid the rise of non-face-to-face communication due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with virtual reality (AR) and augmented reality (VR) technologies rapidly approaching everyday life in culture, education, and healthcare. LG Uplus explained, "The XR emphasized this time is a concept encompassing AR, VR, and MR (Mixed Reality)," adding, "It will offer customers new experiences."

The XR Alliance plans to distribute the massive investments required for high-quality 5G content production and improve cost efficiency and technological completeness by collaborating with global 5G content producers and telecom operators. The five member companies and two partners will communicate through a process of 'deciding on content production → selecting investing members → securing copyrights → partner production.' Lee Sang-min, Vice President of LG Uplus, stated, "While 'video,' the killer service of the 4G era, could be produced by a single operator with quality content, 5G is different," adding, "It requires diverse technologies, huge funds, and creative expression, making collaboration among operators essential."

3D VR Filming of Spacewalk to be Released in November

The first project involves 3D VR filming at the International Space Station (ISS). In collaboration with the American Time Studio and NASA, it will capture actual footage of a 'spacewalk' filmed in space. This content will be released in November as four episodes totaling approximately 25 minutes. Additionally, the alliance plans to expand the scope of immersive content into various fields such as performances and documentaries.

Brian Vogel, Senior Director at Qualcomm, who attended the video conference and signed the alliance membership, said, "We will maximize the potential of 5G." Yang Ling Chai, Vice President of China Telecom, described the alliance launch as "an important step for telecom operators to expand investment in 5G content." Yuichi Iwaki, Head of Corporate Strategy Planning at KDDI, expressed his aspiration, saying, "Please look forward to world-class XR content." Lee Sang-min, Vice President of LG Uplus, stated, "We will proceed swiftly beyond simple partnerships or collaborations to actual content production and provision," adding, "Currently, many mobile carriers and studios are negotiating to join the alliance. We will expand cooperation to offer unique experiences to XR users worldwide."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.