Samsung at its annual developer conference earlier today unveiled a new 360-degree camera, appropriately named the "360 Round." Unlike the company's other, more casual 360-degree shooter (the Gear 360), the 360 Round is geared towards those who develop and stream 3D content for "specialists and enthusiasts who demand a superior virtual reality experience."
With platforms like YouTube and Facebook serving up more high-quality 360 VR content recently, it's unsurprising to see Samsung attempt to capitalize on the trend. The device will be capable of livestreaming 4K 3D video at 30FPS while also capturing spatial audio with its six built-in microphones.
The 360 Round includes a whopping 17 built-in camera lenses, 16 of which are positioned in pairs horizontally around the edge of the device. The 17th lens is positioned vertically for full 360-degree recording.
As you might expect from a 360-degree camera, the device houses a number of outdoor-focused features. It boasts IP65 water and dust resistance for rougher environments and a fanless design to reduce the device's carry weight. Absent any internal fans, Samsung has kept device temperatures low by implementing a uni-body chassis designed to reduce heat output significantly.
Physical attributes aside, the 360 Round will also launch with "one-step stitching and control software" meant to make editing and broadcasting high-quality video easier than ever. However, the company didn't elaborate on what this software might look like in practice.
The 360 Round is set to launch sometime this month in the United States but no pricing information is available yet. The camera won't initially be offered in other regions although Samsung hopes to expand its availability to additional markets at a later date.