YouTube launches live 360-degree streaming
David Farnor | On 19, Apr 2016
YouTube has taken a giant step forward in the virtual reality race with the launch of live 360-degree videos.
YouTube first added support for 360-degree videos way back in March 2015, while live-streaming has long been a part of the site’s offerings. Now, while Facebook continues to develop its own live offering – not to mention its virtual reality arm – YouTube has pieced the two together to offer live 360-degree videos.
The site will demonstrate its capabilities at this year’s Coachella festival. After years of live-streaming Coachella for fans around the world who can’t attend, this year YouTube will streaming select artist performances in 360 degrees.
“Whether it’s a sporting event or a concert or even a family gathering, all of us have had the feeling of wanting to be somewhere we couldn’t. But these days, virtual reality and 360-degree video can help get you one step closer to actually being at those places and in those moments,” wrote Neal Mohan, Chief Product Officer, on YouTube’s official blog.
YouTube is also stepping up its immersive audio game, with the launch of spatial audio, wich will vary depth, distance and intensity to recreate the acoustic experience of being at a live event in person.
YouTube is already working with companies across the industry to encourage support for its new tech, ensuring that software from companies such as VideoStitch and Two Big Ears will be compatible with 360-degree live streams or spatial audio, 360-degree live-streaming and spatial audio technologies will also be available at all YouTube Space locations around the globe, so creators can take the tech for a spin.