At the Mobile World Conference (MWC) in Shanghai last month, iQIYI, an innovative online entertainment platform in China, announced a strategic partnership with China Unicom, to establish a joint R&D center for the innovation and application of 5G in terminal devices. Under the partnership, both parties will partner on technology development, including 5G network slicing, 5G Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC), big data, MR/AR/VR, as well as 4K/8K UHDV, and jointly establish a 5G terminal R&D center.
Under the partnership, China Unicom will provide the Center with research resources including testing grounds for 5G technology as well as testing and research equipment and devices; iQIYI, on the other hand, will provide mixed and augmented reality VR testing spaces as well as testing equipment and devices. Both parties aim to devote their respective advantages in technology, talent and terminal devices to the partnership in effort to promote the innovation and application of 5G VR/AR terminal devices, and to optimize the industrial value.
As 5G technology innovation continues to drive the industrial upgrade, VR is expected to be applied more and more in day-to-day life. Driven by its strategy and innovation, iQIYI's endeavors in VR technology has allowed it to build its own VR scenario ecosystem including film and television, gaming, social networking and interaction. At present, iQIYI has established 5G-related partnerships with three mobile service providers in China, namely, China Unicom, China Telecom and China Mobile, to jointly explore opportunities of the 5G and VR market.
