Geolino, Germany’s largest knowledge magazine for children which is part of Bertelsmann publishing house G+J, and Inception XR are launching a unique new app in which the content can be experienced in three dimensions using Augmented Reality (AR).
Part of the magazine’s content is now brought to life with AR. The AR offering was created in partnership with Inception XR, a leading XR content network with strategic investment from RTL Group. With Geolino creating the content and Inception providing the technology and AR expertise, together they have created the first children’s magazine to use Augmented Reality (AR).
The new Geolino app makes the world even more accessible, attractive and informative for young readers: The innovative app is a combination of the digital edition of the monthly magazine, supplemented by AR experiences in the form of 3D animations of animals or objects that can be projected into the environment via the tablet’s camera or smartphone. Geolino readers can thus experience the moon landing on their own kitchen table, watch dangerous panthers hunting in their own living room or have a life-size flamingo walk through the children’s room and learn something about the big wide world in a playful way. The offer is supplemented by interactive games and exciting quiz questions.
Rosa Wetscher, Editor-in-Chief at G+J Familienredaktion, says: “Children have a digital affinity and love interactive offers that can be experienced intuitively. With the new Geolino app, they can now read all the magazines on their mobile phones or tablets digitally and get the cool, animated additional content they need.”
Benny Arbel, CEO Inception, says: “When we started discussions with Geolino, we immediately recognised the potential, which is in the introduction of AR technology in children’s magazines. We are thrilled about this new partnership and are extremely happy to release this unique AR magazine which offers many wonderful ways to complement traditional 2D content and create a special reading experience.”
Bernd Hellermann, Managing Director of G+J Digital Media and Editorial Director Community of Interest Family, says: “We at Gruner + Jahr want to be the most innovative and creative publishing house. With the new app, which is unique in Germany to date, we are underscoring this claim and want to open up the still very young AR market in the children’s segment. With this project we are pleased much about the partnership with the colleagues and colleagues of Inception, with whom we know very much know-how and experience in this range at our side.”
The Geolino app can be used on all iOS AR-enabled devices and is now available for download in the App Store. A Geolino subscription with AR costs from €4.49 (www.geolino.de/app), existing subscriptions can be upgraded from 1.99 Euro. In addition, the Geolino edition 4/2019 with the corresponding AR experiences is available free of charge for testing purposes. An Android version of the app is already under development and will follow soon.
