Intel, according to a report from VRJournal, is acquiring an Israeli company known for its innovative work with virtual reality technology and 360-degree videos.
Intel subsequently confirmed that it has, indeed, reached an agreement to acquire Replay Technologies.
Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Israel, Replay’s proprietary freeD format uses high-resolution cameras and compute intensive graphics to let viewers see and experience sporting events from any angle.
The impetus for the buy, VRJournal asks? Sports.
“The Israeli company Replay Technologies is a thriving young powerhouse in ‘free dimensional’ 3D video tech,” Wednesday’s report explains. “Intel’s relationship with Replay dates back to 2013. Just this year, the two companies worked together over NBA All-Star Weekend, during which 360 degrees of the Slam Dunk contest were made available.”
“Together, we will scale this new category for sports entertainment that we call immersive sports, which is attracting the attention of leagues, venues, broadcasters and fans,” Intel says. “Immersive sports requires the high-performance computing Intel is known for, and it’s also data driven – fueling the continued build out of the cloud. For athletes, coaches, broadcasters and fans, the ability to capture, analyze and share data adds compelling new dimensions to the game.”
