Earlier this month, YouTube officially threw the digital lever to enable 360 video support for the first time on the video sharing platform. At the time the official announcement of the new functionality didn’t include any mention of VR, though we speculated that it would surely be on the way.

And indeed it is. Since then we’ve learned, thanks to an article from Gizmodo’s Sean Hollister, that VR support for 360 videos is very much on YouTube’s radar.

“Imagine capturing a perfect sunset—or the birth of your child—then inviting someone to experience it in virtual reality. That’s coming, too,” Hollister wrote. “YouTube product manager Sanjeev Verma tells Gizmodo that Google Cardboard and stereoscopic 3D support are definitely on the roadmap. Livestreaming, as well.”

In addition to YouTube, there are a number of startups hoping to be the go-to place for streaming virtual reality video.

This article may contain affiliate links. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product we may receive a small commission which helps support the publication. See here for more information.


Ben is the world's most senior professional analyst solely dedicated to the XR industry, having founded Road to VR in 2011—a year before the Oculus Kickstarter sparked a resurgence that led to the modern XR landscape. He has authored more than 3,000 articles chronicling the evolution of the XR industry over more than a decade. With that unique perspective, Ben has been consistently recognized as one of the most influential voices in XR, giving keynotes and joining panel and podcast discussions at key industry events. He is a self-described "journalist and analyst, not evangelist."