Imaging company YI Technology on Monday announced the YI HALO, its latest virtual reality-oriented camera powered by the Google Jump software framework. The device was officially unveiled at the latest iteration of the NAB trade show that’s currently taking place in Las Vegas, Nevada, with YI Technology presenting its new offering as a tool that’s meant to appeal to many types of users, from serious enthusiasts to industry professionals. The company’s Chief Executive Officer Sean Da called the YI HALO “the most advanced VR system out there,” adding how the Seattle, Washington-based consumer electronics manufacturer spent countless resources to develop a device that’s both capable and simple to use.
The YI HALO features 17 camera units arranged in a way that guarantees 360-degree 8K x 8K video capture at 30 frames per second and can also produce 5.8K x 5.8K stereoscopic recordings at 60 frames per second, YI Technology said. The company didn’t disclose the battery capacity of its new offering, though it did reveal that the YI HALO can shoot for 100 minutes on a single charge and works with numerous power sources. The device will also launch alongside an Android companion app that can act as a remote for the unit, while the camera itself will support automatic Jump stitching. Google’s Jump technology played an important part in the creation of the YI HALO, and the Mountain View-based tech giant is seemingly optimistic about this particular 360-degree camera as even Amit Singh, Vice President of Business for Google VR, joined YI Technology’s Monday announcement. In a short statement provided to the media following the unveiling of the YI HALO, Singh said how Google’s camera software has already helped create numerous immersive VR experiences in less than two years on the market, adding how the company’s VR unit is eager to see what content creators will be able to do with YI Technology’s latest, most advanced offering to date.
Apart from the YI HALO, the Seattle-based company also arrived at NAB 2017 to announce the YI 360 VR, a consumer-oriented 360-degree camera with support for automatic video stitching capabilities that can record 2.5K content in 30 frames per second. Both cameras will be released in June and while the YI HALO still doesn’t have a firm price tag attached to it, the YI 360 VR has been confirmed to retail for $399.
