Nokia to lay off 310 staff after pulling plug on OZO VR camera
AFTER MAKING A BIG ol’ fuss for the past two years about its jaw-droppingly expensive VR camera, the OZO, Nokia has announced that it will cease development of the device.
The retirement of the camera, which retailed for a whopping $60,000 (about £40,000), is apparently due to the company finding the VR market developing « slower than expected ». Instead, Nokia said it will shift its focus more to health products and patent licensing.
The arm of the business which is responsible for the development of the camera, called Nokia Technologies, will, therefore, lay off up to 310 people as part of the shift, it said, but assured Nokia Networks will remain unaffected. Nevertheless, the layoffs will mainly happen in the US, UK and Finland and account for around 35 percent of the 1,090 employees in Nokia Technologies.
« Nokia Technologies is at a point where, with the right focus and investments, we can meaningfully grow our footprint in the digital health market, and we must seize that opportunity, » said Nokia Technologies president, Gregory Lee, in a statement.
« While necessary, the changes will also affect our employees, and as a responsible company we are committed to providing the needed support to those affected. »
Despite its price, the OZO camera featured some impressive pieces of kit. The camera has eight synchronised 2Kx2K sensors for the video sensor array, full spherical 360×180 degrees coverage with a 195-degree angle of view per lens, and full spherical, 360×360 degree audio capture. There’s also a fanless cooling system and a rechargeable lithium ion battery pack supplied. Nokia demonstrated OZO’s capabilities in a live performance by the band Best Coast at the event in late 2015, broadcast in full 3D 360 VR from the roof of the Capitol Records building in Hollywood to downtown Los Angeles over Internet Protocol seven miles away. µ
