Facebook Live has long offered viewers the ability to view 360 degree virtual reality content. The social network today announced that it has further improved its 360 degree live video platform to make it more engaging for viewers and more accessible to creators. One of the biggest changes it that viewers can now watch 360 degree video in up to glorious 4K resolution.
The obvious caveat here is that creators should have the requisite gear to stream 360 degree content in 4K. Viewers will also require a device that’s capable of playing 4K video in order to take advantage of this new functionality.
Since Facebook is making these streams available in virtual reality, those who own a virtual reality headset like the Gear VR can easily view it by powering up their headset for a more immersive experience.
Facebook has also announced the launch of a new partnership program today called Live 360 Ready. The program is meant to certify third-party hardware and software products as being ready to immediately use with Facebook Live.
The program is going to recommend products that have been vetted by Facebook’s internal team and deemed capable of producing high-quality 360-degree streams. Products on the list right now include the likes of Nokia’s Ozo Orah 41 camera, the Garmin VIRB 360, and the Giroptic iO.
Filed in . Read more about Facebook and Virtual Reality (VR).