Twitter introduces live 360 degree videos on Twitter and Periscope

Twitter has introduced Live 360 degree videos on Periscope, allowing broadcasters to anchor immersive experiences for their viewers. The facility is now being tested with select partners, and interested users can sign up for the wait list , if they are interested in using the new feature. Twitter has hinted at some exciting broadcasts lined up, including live events, travel experiences and 360 degree experiences from well known celebrities.

https://twitter.com/twitter/status/814231073643036672

The 360 degree videos are marked with a badge. Users viewing the broadcasts can change the view by tapping to scroll on the screen, or moving the phone. Users with the facility can go live through the Twitter app itself, or the dedicated Periscope app. The move comes close on the heels of Twitter integrating Periscope into the Twitter application. To cast videos, users are no longer thrown into another application from Twitter.

https://twitter.com/Alexpettitt/status/814229532576124928

Three major networks added the 360 degree video functionality over the course of 2016. YouTube was the first to introduce the feature in April, with a live broadcast of the Coachella music festival. Facebook introduced the feature earlier this month, partnering with National Geographic to document Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) researchers as they emerged from an isolation experiment. While anyone can cast live 360 degree videos from YouTube, the feature is available only to select partners on Twitter and Facebook.