SI revamps Swimsuit issue with 360° videos, a custom Snapchat Lens, and more.
It’s that time of year again. That magical month once a year where Sports Illustrated breaks away from its standard coverage of popular trends and various happenings in the modern sports scene in favor of covering some of the planets most stunning women.
This year however, the special edition expanded its coverage to include more diversity. A model search encompassed a range of backgrounds, bodies, and racial diversity. Paralympic snowboarder and cancer survivor Brenna Huckaby, American plus-size model Ashley Graham, and American Tennis pro Sloane Steven are just a few of the incredible ladies presented throughout.
Along with being one of the most inclusive editions of SI Swimsuit to date, this year’s copy also houses a plethora of engaging AR & VR features. After picking up a copy of the magazine, you can download the LIFE VR app to then scan and unlock a series of captivating behind-the-scene videos hidden throughout the magazines pages. The special edition also includes a Snapchat Lens that puts you on the magazine’s cover, a 3D hologram of the 2018 cover model, and even an official Snapchat World Lens that lets you walk around the set of a photo shoot.
The immersive supplement also lets you step behind the cameras for a revealing look into the making of this year’s Swimsuit edition with several 360° behind-the-scene videos. After downloading the LIFE VR app, you can check out the collection of immersive VR videos using either just your phone or a Google Cardboard headset. You can also access these clips via LIFE VR’s channel on Samsung VR for the Gear VR, time.com/lifevr or the LIFE VR Windows Mixed Reality app.
To access all of this sweet AR goodness, simply download the FREE LIFE VR app for either iOS or Android, select the “Enable AR” function at the bottom and confirm app access on your phone when notified. Unfortunately, only Android phones are capable of scanning the magazine pages, whereas iOS users will only have access to a catalog of the same content to choose from.
Back in 2016, Sports Illustrated bundled 500k Cardboard viewers with the Swimsuit issue, giving many subscribers their first taste of VR.
