Subaru Motorsports Launches New Mobile App Featuring 360 Degree Video Technology

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Jul 01, 2014, 03:00 ET

CHERRY HILL, N.J., July 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Subaru of America announced today the release of their new content-rich Subaru Motorsports app, which includes a motorsports industry-first 360 degree HD mobile video player.

Available to iOS and Android users, the app debuts an interactive 360 degree video playback capability that provides users a virtual racing experience like none other. The app features shareable Subaru Motorsports images, videos, team updates and racing schedules, and notifies users of local races and team events in their area. The highly-praised Subaru Launch Control video series, which accomplished over 11 million views last season, is also featured on the app.

"To our knowledge we are the first brand in the world to launch an app with this amazing video capability for motorsports use," stated Rob Weir, Subaru Motorsports Marketing Manager. "It's certainly a game-changer in motorsports media and we're excited to be leading the way."

The 360 degree video experience provides users with the ability to view stage rally and rallycross action in any direction by simply swiping their finger or moving their mobile device side-to-side in their hands. Most of this season's footage will feature Subaru Rally Team USA, which competes in the Rally America Series and Red Bull Global Rallycross.

The development of the app was coordinated through US and European firms in just over two months from conception. "We were first approached with the 360 degree recording technology, and immediately decided it must be playable on mobile devices to give our fans the best interactive experience. We pulled several tech partners together who were all excited to see this come together for a motorsports application," explained Weir.

Subaru Motorsports will raise the bar in motorsports video tech yet again in just a few months with the ability to wear a virtual reality style headset that utilizes a user's smartphone as a video player to immerse fans in the 360 degree videos. "Soon our app will play through a headset similar to a ski goggle that uses your own mobile device as the screen. Imagine sitting next to Bucky Lasek as he clears jumps and races door-to-door in rallycross, or peering over a cliff as David Higgins carves through a rally stage; it's as close as you can get to riding in the car itself," said Weir.

To download the Subaru Motorsports app from iTunes, click here.

To download the Subaru Motorsports app from the Google Play Store, click here.

About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 600 dealers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. For additional information visit www.subaru.com.

Additional information and news from Subaru is available at http://www.media.subaru.com.

Rob Weir
Motorsports Manager
Subaru of America, Inc.
(856) 488-3453
[email protected]

Dominick Infante
National Manager, Product Communications
Subaru of America, Inc.
(856) 488-8615
[email protected]

Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzH7t2DOyFs&feature=youtu.be

SOURCE Subaru of America, Inc.