360 video has arrived on Apple TV for the first time, thanks to Twitter

By Hillary K. Grigonis May 25, 2017

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Full 360-degree video is traditionally limited to computer screens and mobile devices, but Twitter’s latest Apple TV update brings the immersive format to TV screens. Beating both YouTube and Facebook to the punch, Twitter’s updated Apple TV app allows users to watch in 360 from their TV.

While mobile devices rely on motion or tapping to move around the footage, the immersive format can be navigated on the TV by using the Siri remote to explore the footage from every angle. The update makes Twitter the first platform to bring 360 video to Apple TV, according to TechCrunch.

The latest features also add Global Map, a Periscope feature that allows users to browse both live and replay feeds based on the location of that stream. The feature allows users to “travel” virtually by exploring live-streams in new locations.

Twitter is continuing to focus on becoming not just a social media platform but a resource for live videos, with partnerships bringing content from live news broadcasts to 30-minute NFL shows. After launching apps for TV-based platforms last fall, Twitter feeds and live broadcasts are now available on Fire TV, Xbox One, Roku, and Apple TV, making that content easier to watch on a big screen.

Along with accessing worldwide live-streams and professional 360 video, the update also brings access to user-generated 360 footage — which numbered 77 million hours in just the first four months of 2017, according to Twitter.

As video content on the web continues to rise in popularity, several recent updates push video content on Twitter. In February, Twitter added live-streams from their Periscope app into the Explore tab, listing videos and tweets with the latest trends, encouraging more users to find and view the videos. Earlier in May, Periscope added the ability to live-stream in 360 on Android, combining the two video trends.

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