Disney Strikes Partnership With Verizon To Explore The Possibilities Of 5G

Walt Disney Studios and Verizon have struck a partnership to work together on emerging technologies that touch on production, exhibition and consumer experiences.

The telecommunications giant said it is partnering with Disney’s StudioLAB innovation program, which was established last summer to advance the art of storytelling with cutting-edge tools and methods.

News of the partnership broke Tuesday, ahead of Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg’s keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, where he’s expected to tout the possibilities of 5G networks that promise faster speeds and lower latency. Jamie Voris, chief technology officer for Walt Disney Studios, will be part of the official announcement.

Verizon rolled out 5G wireless services to four cities last fall — Los Angeles, Houston, Indianapolis and Sacramento. The launch in Hollywood makes it easier to explore how to use the new technology for media applications.

The telecommunications giant said it plans to work with Disney on enhancing the theater experience with interactive characters and location-based entertainment and help explore real-time consumer experiences that harness augmented and mixed reality.

Verizon said it’ll also examine how 5G might advance production, potentially transforming how production facilities connect across the world or how movies are delivered to cinemas.

“Verizon is excited to join Disney to lead that path forward for the industry,” a Verizon spokesperson said via email. “The innovation that will happen at Disney StudioLab will be game-changing, with creative and technical leadership from across Disney’s production houses and throughout the industry.”

Verizon joins Cisco, Accenture Interactive and Hewlett Packard Enterprise in partnering with Disney’s StudioLAB.―Deadline