YouTube working on live virtual reality streams, report says

Google is on a virtual reality tear to start off 2016.

In addition to all the other VR news from the company in recent weeks there's now talk of plans to introduce live, 360-degree video to YouTube. 

YouTube already offers immersive 360-degree imagery (most popularly through Google's virtual tours) and videos (directly on the site and via Cardboard), but adding a live, 360-degree feature would immediately take things to an entirely new level.

Citing multiple sources familiar with the matter, a report from BuzzFeed claims that YouTube has been meeting with 360-degree camera manufacturers to discuss the details around offering live, immersive broadcasts through the popular video-sharing platform.

Those are all the details the report offers, as no launch date has been announced and YouTube itself hasn't announced such a product. Nevertheless, with strong indications in recent weeks of a VR camera being developed by Google, it's not hard to consider that Google may be preparing to put its own VR camera in the hands of millions of YouTubers interested in streaming live VR broadcasts.

How that tracks with the would-be VR camera competitors YouTube is speaking to is impossible to know, but even if Google is developing its own VR camera, it makes sense for YouTube to bring outside VR camera makers into the fold if only to ensure that enough VR content from users gets up on the site.

I got a look at what live VR streaming can be like last year when I watched a Golden State Warriors game via Samsung Gear VR and streamed by NextVR. The quality of the broadcast image was surprisingly good, but the stream itself constantly dropped out, making for a less than amazing experience. However, as I noted in that report, if the stream had held up, based on the game I virtually attended (courtside seats!), I can easily see live VR broadcasts drawing huge interest from sports fans. 

Backed by Google and years of experience, YouTube would likely be able to deliver more reliable video streams, making the prospect of live VR via YouTube more viable than almost any other startup currently experimenting with the technology. 

YouTube did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

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