GoPro wants to make a 360-degree VR camera for the masses
Make your own clips at home
GoPro is taking a keen interest in the virtual reality revolution: you may remember Google's Jump VR filming rig, announced back in June, is powered by no less than 16 GoPro cameras.
Now GoPro CEO Nick Woodman has dropped a hint that his company will bring out something suitable for the average user too. The word he used on stage at CES was "casual", so it sounds like we're in line for a pocket-sized 360-degree camera in the near future.
Think something along the lines of Nikon's recently unveiled KeyMission 360, a camera that can record video footage in every direction at once rather than just looking straight ahead. GoPro certainly won't want to be left behind, so expect a competing device sooner rather than later.
360-degree video
The benefits of 360-degree video means viewers can peer in any direction they like - it's not a full virtual reality experience (there's no depth perception for a start) but it's much easier to record and produce, as these new cameras are proving.
The likes of YouTube and Facebook already support 360-degree video, and if you don't have a VR headset to hand you can view these clips in your browser - you just have to click and drag rather than moving your head.
We don't know what GoPro's new camera will be called or when it will be out but it's on the way. It's a sign that the company wants to broaden its range beyond action cameras - and that includes drones too.
- Read our GoPro HERO4 Session review
Via 9to5Google
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Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.