With social VR platform vTime’s recent launch on Google Daydream, the UK-based company vTime Limited can proudly say they’ve created the most-widely available social VR platform in the world. Used by people in 195 countries, vTime is both free and cross-compatible with Samsung Gear VR, Oculus Rift, Google Cardboard, iPhone and now Google Daydream.

vTime is organized like most social networks, allowing you to search other users by name and send friend requests. Once a request is accepted, you can hop into private chats, share pictures, do all the things you normally would. The big difference, this being a VR app and all, is you can talk face-to-face with someone in a number of fanciful locations like a Victorian-era passenger car, an orbiting space station, or a roof-top terrazzo overlooking the Eiffel Tower—all with your own stylized avatar.

vtime-sam-jackson
my Samuel L. Jackson from ‘Django Unchained’-inspired avatar

Basic functionality aside (our full hands-on here), the company has released a number of updates to make the space more attractive to content creators in the last few months—think VR podcast, or live VR talk show. vTime’s latest early access feature gives each user the ability to record their session or “vCast” in full 360, and then publish the content to their public library, meaning viewers can watch whatever it is you do best in VR.

Further updates coming this year will also see the introduction of producer tools, which allow a second vTime user to take up the production mantle. Leaving the host free to do what they do best, the producer can bring in guests, content, messaging, and even external social media feeds for real-time interaction.

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vTime Limited says the app will be available on all major VR platforms soon, with support for HTC Vive as well.

“We’re very proud to reach this significant milestone within 12 short months of launching on our first VR platform. Being the only app of its kind available on all the Google VR platforms gives us full availability on every significant mobile VR platform in the market today,” said vTime Managing Director Clemens Wangerin. “With the trajectory of mobile computing over the next few years as compelling as it is, and the phone already established as the most important device you own, we believe the ease-of-access to mobile VR will continue to mark it out as the most accessible form of VR for quite some time, with vTime perfectly positioned to capitalise on that.”

 

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Scott Hayden
Well before the first modern XR products hit the market, Scott recognized the potential of the technology and set out to understand and document its growth. He has been professionally reporting on the space for nearly a decade as Editor at Road to VR, authoring more than 4,000 articles on the topic. Scott brings that seasoned insight to his reporting from major industry events across the globe.
  • Hawk1290

    I tried it on Rift when it was first released and found it strange. Sitting in rooms with only 4 people and nothing to consider outside of the unique areas seems like an awkward meeting. I hope the best, but Altspace is where I go for Social stuff.

    • Get Schwifty!

      Yeah – AltSpace is definitely where it’s at right now.

    • RecRoom is really the best shared/social VR experience today I think. I’ve tried High Fidelity, Altspace, Bigscreen, and a few others and find myself going back to RecRoom.

      • Hawk1290

        I go to RecRoom for the games and Altspace to chill, they’re both really solid titles.