There was a time when you could count on DIRECTV to be at the forefront of every trend, whether or not it made sense. Back in the 2000s, the company was aggressively courting new customers. This was in the days before streaming of course, and at that time satellite TV was the top of the heap. Things have changed, and it seems that at this point all pay-TV companies are just fighting a war of attrition. It’s not surprising. Streaming is still finding its place in our lives and other forms of live entertainment are still adjusting.
VR – the latest thing we didn’t think we needed
We’ve been talking about virtual reality for decades. Some of the most seminal science fiction of the 20th century deals with it. In the last few years, it’s become popular to believe that we’ll soon interact through VR in ways that authors once only dreamed. It certainly seemed attractive for a few years to be able to experience the world in immersive 3D while staying safely home. These days that doesn’t seem as much of a concern.
Still, tech luminaries like Mark Zuckerberg are convinced we’ll like it, and darned if they aren’t convinced that it should be a thing. Netflix, Prime, Showtime, and YouTube are among many apps that have launched in VR. It wouldn’t be surprising if DIRECTV followed them.
My guess: No VR for DIRECTV, for now
I rather doubt we’ll see a DIRECTV VR app. It’s not like it would be hard. It’s just that it doesn’t seem to be a focus right now. There’s still a lot of work to do in integrating DIRECTV Stream and DIRECTV together, plus a years-long backup of new projects that were stifled by AT&T. I can’t imagine they are ready to move to VR yet. Since DISH seems to be focusing on an older demographic, they won’t supply any competition. This means even less of an impetus to do anything.
It’s a shame though. DIRECTV heavily invested in 3D content in the late ’00s. 3D TV didn’t pan out, and today it’s just a bad memory. But, that content is still out there, and it could get a new life in VR. Granted, it’s mostly documentaries. Still, there were some 3D films that could be pushed out to VR. Most haven’t been seen in 3D since their theatrical releases. DIRECTV could be the company that makes that stuff come back.
I personally think it wouldn’t be super hard, and it might just work out well. But hey, I’m not the person running DIRECTV, although some of my fans seem to think I am.
What you can do in the meantime
I don’t know if there will ever be VR DIRECTV. But I can tell you that if you haven’t upgraded lately, you’re missing a lot. Why not give Solid Signal a call to find out what’s out there? It’s an easy, free call. Call us at 888-233-7563 during East Coast business hours. If it’s after hours, fill out the form below and we’ll get back to you, usually within one business day.
