InstaVR has recently rolled out several new optional add-on features for InstaVR Pro. They include allowing concurrent users to work on a project together, increasing productivity through parallel packaging, and expanding the number of InHouse iOS apps on your phone.

Over the last year, we’ve quietly expanded the InstaVR Pro offering with feedback from our customers. Feature adds have included such options as time-based Hotspot appearance and disappearance, customizing the gaze trigger in VR headsets, and a Live Previewer app that lets you view your VR in-progress as you build it. These feature enhancements, pushed out automatically through our web-based platform, are available to all InstaVR Pro clients.

More recently, we’ve added some InstaVR Pro Add-On options. Rather than feature based, these expand account access and increase productivity. Because of their exceptional nature, there is an additional fee associated with accessing each of them. The complete list of Add-On options can be accessed in the upper left hand corner of your Console. We expect them to expand over the coming months, but we’ll cover the three main ones live and accessible now.

***************************************************************************************************

1. Add Concurrent Users — Allowing multiple people to work on a project together

Add-On Description: An account with InstaVR allows you to share your username/password with others who you may want to access your account. However, our solution to date only allowed one concurrent user to be logged into that account at a time. Sometimes you want to work together on a project with colleagues or friends though. Adding concurrent users does just that.

With each added concurrent user, that added user can simultaneously author, package, and download along with you. All changes made by all concurrent users will be reflected in the authoring view in real-time and saved automatically. Increase productivity by having multiple employees work on the same app at the same time.

Example Use Case: You’re a creative designer at a marketing firm in New York, working with a fashion retailer in Ohio. You’re creating a 360 app showcasing the firm for an upcoming tradeshow. Rather than having to create the entire app, package, and distribute to the team in Ohio for review — the agency in New York can collaborate with the team in Ohio to build the app together. The Ohio team can upload the 360 media, and the New York team can suggest narrative flow and placement + content of hotspots. Working together improves productivity and the finished app!

***************************************************************************************************

2. Parallel Packaging — Allowing for packaging of multiple VR apps, for multiple platforms, at the same time

Add-On Description: Time is money. With an InstaVR Pro subscription, users get priority packaging over our Free users. However, until recently, Pro users could still only package one VR app at a time. Thanks to some packager changes, we’re pleased to offer customers the opportunity to package up multiple VR applications, for multiple VR headsets, at the same time. There is a monthly add-on fee to unlock this productivity feature, but for heavy InstaVR users, it’s worth it!

Example Use Case: If you’re a company creating a lot of VR apps, you’re likely to want to access them quickly. But sequentially waiting for a package to finish before starting the next one can be frustrating. If you’re doing a daily VR app for Google Cardboard — say a training app showing your employees what they’ll be working on that day — you’ll likely have to package to both iOS and Android. Rather than wait twice as long, at a minimum, for both platforms to have their packages generated, why not purchase Parallel Packaging and double the speed of app generation?

***************************************************************************************************

3. Multiple InHouse Apps — Allowing your iPhone to have 2+ InstaVR-generated iOS Inhouse apps working on the same phone

Add-On Description: Apple’s iOS platform is a notoriously restrictive. If Apple had its way, only apps downloaded through the iTunes Store would work on iPhones. But InstaVR recognizes that not every app is meant for wide distribution via iTunes.

So with InHouse apps, you can essentially sideload onto a phone an InstaVR created 360 app. Until recently, due to Apple’s rules, an iPhone could only have one of those InHouse apps built on our platform downloaded onto a phone at a time. Now, InstaVR Pro users can purchase an add-on functionality that allows to have 2, 3 or more InstaVR-generated InHouse apps on your iPhone at a time.

Example Use Case: If you send your sales team out into the field with an iPhone + VR headset or an iPad Pro, they may want to have multiple InstaVR-generated phones loaded and ready to show potential clients. However, if distributed outside of the iTunes Store and with a default Pro account, they can only show one. Purchasing multiple InHouse apps lets customers easily load up multiple VR experiences on their phone to quickly and easily show of their 360 media.

***************************************************************************************************

Conclusion

InstaVR is all about making the VR app creation process as simple and quick as possible. With new add-on features, we’re increasing our client productivity and collaboration. Work together on VR projects with your clients, publish iOS/Android/Web applications all at the same time, and allow your iPhone to have multiple InstaVR generated apps concurrently. If you’re serious about VR, and serious about saving time and being more productive, definitely consider upgrading your InstaVR Pro account to include these add-ons.

If you’d like to discuss any of these add-on features, reach out to our Head of Sales, Andrew Woodberry, andrew @ instavr.co or +1 925-708-3928.