SkyLights Unveils New AlloSky Headset and Slew of Airline and Content Partnerships
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APEX Insight: AlloSky, SkyLights’ sleeker, lighter second-generation IFE headset will be unveiled at APEX EXPO tomorrow.
SkyLights has unveiled its second-generation immersive cinema headset at APEX EXPO in Long Beach, California. The headset, called AlloSky, resembles a sleek pair of aviator sunglasses and comes with fresh content deals signed with Warner Brothers, National Geographic, Lionsgate and BBC. Airline launch partners for the in-flight entertainment solution include Air France, Joon, Corsair and Jetfly, in addition to partnerships with gategroup and Accor Hotels.
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“We have identified what matters most,” David Dicko, CEO of SkyLights, said of the first-generation model called Bravo Theater, “and have kept this knowledge at the core of the second-generation solution. It’s more premium, more comfortable and has streamlined logistics. We believe this is a breakthrough, making the future of in-flight entertainment a reality today.”
“We believe this is a breakthrough, making the future of in-flight entertainment a reality today.” – David Dicko, SkyLights
AlloSky, which was created in partnership with immersive cinema eyewear company Allomind, will show 2-D, 3-D and 180-degree video content, as its predecessor Bravo Theater did, with the addition of 1080p image resolution and dioptric correction. The new headset is also 60 percent lighter than the first generation and can be connected to an in-seat power source.
Dicko says SkyLights is looking into tethering the headsets and storing them in the seats, instead of trolleys, to eliminate the need for distribution by cabin crew. The solution would require modification to supplemental type certificates, but Dicko expects approval by the second quarter of 2018. “This modus operandi has the benefit of reducing operational cost and complexity, and enabling the service with no crew action,” Dicko said.
Air France’s Boeing 777s, and Joon’s Airbus A340s, will be the first aircraft to receive AlloSky. While the first-generation headset was only available to Air France’s business-class passengers on Paris Charles de Gaulle-St. Martin flights, Dicko says the new headset will be offered as a rental service to economy-class passengers for about $15 a flight – although the price has yet to be confirmed.
Joon, Air France’s new millennial-targeted carrier, which is set to fly in the second quarter next year, is a great platform for AlloSky, according to Dicko: “It wants to be an innovation springboard for Air France; it wants to move fast and propose a premium high-tech service to passengers. So the brand fit is particularly good.”