Samsung Gear 360 livestreamer shoots 4K video and won't shun iPhone users, either

It's not all phones at today's Samsung Galaxy showcase – alongside the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus, the company also showed off its new Gear 360 livestreaming camera.

As the name suggests, the pistol-grip shaped camera lets you livestream 360-degree video – perfect for sharing with a Gear VR headset. If you're shooting a standard flat video, it'll capture it in 4K resolution (a step up from the 3840 x 1920 resolution of last year's model), while 360 video is captured in 2K.

These are captured with a pair of 8.4 megapixel fish eye cameras, combining for 15MP stills – an admitted step down from the 30MP shots of the original Gear 360 camera.

iPhone love

Straight out of the box though, the new Gear 360 camera will work with iOS devices. If you've an Apple device running iOS 10 or above, it'll happily pair with the Gear 360 for instant feedback on your livestreamed video.

The pistol-grip shape is also a change from last year's tripod-like model. Though it's easier to hold, it does mean battery life drops down to 1160mAh against last year's 1350mAh.

Set for release "this Spring", there's no pricing details to share yet, though Samsung has teased that it may come in cheaper than the $349 you were expected to cough up for last year's model.

Gerald Lynch

Gerald is Editor-in-Chief of iMore.com. Previously he was the Executive Editor for TechRadar, taking care of the site's home cinema, gaming, smart home, entertainment and audio output. He loves gaming, but don't expect him to play with you unless your console is hooked up to a 4K HDR screen and a 7.1 surround system. Before TechRadar, Gerald was Editor of Gizmodo UK. He is also the author of 'Get Technology: Upgrade Your Future', published by Aurum Press.