360 degree cameras already exist. The Giroptic offers live 360 degree streaming for $499. So is Kolor (video above). Immersive Media will stream your live 360 degree video. So will  All360Media and GoPano and RTI and IC RealTech. Famous camera brand Kodak has gone 360. So has Ricoh.

YouTube is accepting 360 degree videos.

Live video streaming is the latest thing.But it will really take off when events are streamed, not just the random updates from self-obsessed folk.

VR headsets are the latest thing.

Combine them all and you get live, 360 degree video. The beauty of this is the ability to be somewhere else, in real time, using a VR headset. That means a sporting event, a concert, your daughter’s first ballet performance, TED talks – basically anything live that you can’t make in person.

Paul McCartney has made available a VR experience of one of his concerts. So has Coldplay. The next step is real time… LiveSphere is an early adopter. Plans have been made to serve 360 degree live video from the Space Station. And Virtually Live is promising a VR experience of your favourite sporting event, with your friends.

I believe the best way to make the experience truly immersive is to cause the viewer to travel (virtually) to the event.

For example, recalling watching the  All Blacks play in Rugby World Cups is more than just a seated viewing of the game itself. I have strong memories of walking to and from the stadium, the other fans on the same journey. I believe that, rather than just watching from the kickoff, fans will like to journey to the event in VR. To get the complete experience.

It’s the journey, not the destination…