20 minutes brings the paper to life
In the future, the commuter newspaper 20 Minuten will be able to use the «Live Paper» feature to enhance printed images, news articles, and advertisements with digital content as desired and in real time. The key term here is «augmented reality.».
Readers open the 20 Minuten app on their iPhone and hold it over content marked with special icons in the newspaper, according to a statement on Wednesday. Via the camera in the cell phone, videos, trailers and picture series then appear on the paper within seconds, or music is played. The possibilities are practically unlimited. For example, readers can project the solutions to the Sudoku puzzle directly over the puzzle or be redirected to content on 20 Minuten Online and external websites. "With this innovative addition to our iPhone app, we are bringing the paper to life - closing a gap between our print edition and our mobile offerings," says Marco Boselli, editor-in-chief of 20 Minuten. Live Paper" also opens up new possibilities for advertisers, according to the report. They can link ads with videos, image galleries and links to mobile landing pages or the iApp store.
In a pilot phase starting on March 22, 2012, the various functions and the commercial potential of the pioneering technology will be tested via the iPhone app. In a further step, the new function will also be extended to Android phones.
