Netflix has come out with an app that lets you watch movies in a virtual living room from the comfort of your own living room. The new VR app works with the Samsung Gear VR to put viewers in the middle of a comfy cabin where you have the best seat in the house facing a big screen TV with access to all of Netflix's shows and movies.
Although virtual reality headsets are primarily thought of to be exclusively marketed to gamers or adventure simulation junkies, the Netflix app proves that virtual reality has a place in regular movie viewing and social media as well.
According to reports, the Netflix VR app will require twice as much battery to operate than the standard app; however, users will still be able to view an entire two-hour program with their battery starting at 70 percent.
A detailed description on the design and coding process that went into designing the Netflix VR app was posted on the Netflix blog. John Carmack, CTO of Oculus, worked with Netflix in order to bring the app together.
Carmack detailed the problems he encountered and how he solved them to bring the Netflix virtual living room into the Gear VR headset.
Ultimately, he said that although a home entertainment system would still deliver better video quality, the Netflix VR app will soon make it possible for "the 'best seat in the house' [to be in] the Gear VR that you pull out of your backpack."
According to some users, the experience of watching Netflix from a virtual living room was quite amazing and may even be better than sitting in an actual living room.
In addition to Netflix, other digital streaming services like Hulu will also have apps created for Gear VR.
Be sure to follow T-Lounge on Twitter and visit our Facebook page.
