Vimeo didn’t pick the best timing to announce its support for 360 video streaming, but it’s finally here at least.
The online video service yesterday announced Vimeo 360, its new platform that allows any to upload panoramic content that can be hosted in up to 8K. As you’d expect, the launch comes with support for a smartphone app so you can watch content on Gear VR and Daydream headsets along with others. You can also watch in browser by dragging your mouse around or by tilting your smartphone. Pro and Business members will also be able to sell their 360 content just like they can standard videos. That makes Vimeo one of the first platforms where people could actually start making money from what they shoot.
You can see an example of 360 content running on its player below.
Perhaps most notably, though, Vimeo launched a 360 Video School, complete with a suite of videos that will help you get to grips with filming, editing, and publishing this type of content. The fact that all of this content is free shouldn’t be understated; there’s a lot to learn here for both newcomers and those that have already worked with the format.
Vimeo’s 360 support arrives slightly behind some of the other major players like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter’s Periscope. Yesterday, Facebook launched its own app on Gear VR, powered by its Oculus VR team, allowing people to watch 360 videos and photos from friends and creators. This type of content still has a long way to go before it becomes truly immersive like full 3D VR experiences are, but with companies like these backing it it’s likely to get there sooner rather than later.
