Newsletter 
YouTube‘s TV app will gain 360 video access soon as Google has just announced today at Google I/O that they will be bringing the video type to the YouTube app that is available on both streaming devices as well as smart TVs. 360 videos are nothing new for YouTube but thus far they have only been available on mobile devices and on the web, now though they’ll be available on native apps for the TV platforms that people are using which will make them much easier to watch on the big screen, and things should feel a look a whole lot better now that Google is adding them into the YouTube apps on TV platforms officially.
Google hasn’t given many specifics in terms of which devices exactly will see the 360 videos appear, though this will apply to the Chromecast streaming dongle and likely all of the Android TV devices that are currently available, as well as Android TV smart TVs that have the platform built-in to the TV itself. As for regular smart TVs, there is no information at this time which TVs may or may not be compatible here.
The 360 videos on TV versions of YouTube will not be limited to just pre-recorded videos, but will also include live 360-degree video content as well so users who are interested in viewing such content will be able to stream their favorite live videos and see every detail from every angle. Google hasn’t mentioned when exactly the videos would appear, as “soon” was the only reference to a time frame that they have openly mentioned, so for now anyone who watches 360 videos on YouTube will have to continue using other platforms where the videos can already be found. When the videos are available through the various TV versions of YouTube users will be able to pan the camera around by clicking on their remote and then dragging it around to see a new angle of the video, which is exactly how this action is completed when watching 360-degree videos on the web as you click and drag with your mouse. Naturally the easiest and probably most immersive way to watch these videos is through the VR versions of YouTube as you just have to look around, but it’s nice to see the option being made available.