By Ryan Nakashima, Business Writer
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) --YouTube says it's making a further push into virtual reality, promising to add 3-D support for videos that play back in its 360-degree format.
Thursday's announcement comes a day after the debut of the first online 360-degree ad, a commercial for Bud Light.
Right now, viewers using the mobile YouTube app or Google's Chrome browser can pan around in any direction in the 360-degree videos. They're shot using special camera rigs that look in many directions, and software stitches together all the video.
Support for 3-D means wearers of headsets like Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR or Google Cardboard can see images in three dimensions as they swivel around to change their view. YouTube also said it would provide special camera rigs that support the format at its studios around the world, including at two locations opening in the next year in Toronto and Mumbai.
YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki announced the push during VidCon, an annual convention for fans and creators of online video at the Anaheim Convention Center.
"We've seen big name artists like Avicii and Bjork do some breakthrough things with 3-D video, but we want to empower all of you to chart this new frontier," she said.
Wojcicki also announced a redesign of YouTube's mobile app that allows fans to be notified when creators they follow post new videos. It also adds editing tools for filters and music within the app. The redesign is available for Android devices right away, with support for Apple devices coming soon.
SMPTE elects board officers, regional governors
SMPTE®,the home of media professionals, technologists, and engineers, has revealed the board officers and regional governors who will serve terms beginning in January 2025.
Three new officers--Richard Welsh as SMPTE president, Eric Gsell as SMPTE executive VP, and Polly Hickling as SMPTE Education VP--have been elected for a two-year term from Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2026. One SMPTE officer, Lisa Hobbs, will be continuing her service as SMPTE secretary and treasurer for another two-year term. Additionally, Raymond Yeung will be stepping into the role of standards VP on Jan. 1, 2025.
“SMPTE’s membership has spoken,” said SMPTE interim executive director Sally-Ann D’Amato. “These officers have been tasked with an important responsibility, one each of them is prepared to tackle head-on. These next two years are looking bright for SMPTE!”
In addition to the officers, 10 regional governors were elected by the Society to serve two-year 2025-2026 terms.
These include the following regional governors, re-elected to continue their service:
Asia-Pacific Region Governor
Tony Ngai, Society of Motion Imaging Ltd.
EMEA - Central & South America Region Governor
Fernando Bittencourt, FB Consultant
United Kingdom Region Governor
Chris Johns, Sky UK.
USA - Central Region Governor
William T. Hayes, Consultant
USA - Eastern Region Governor
Dover Jeanne Mundt, Riedel Communications
USA - Western Region Governor
Jeffrey F. Way, Open Drives
Also elected were four newcomers to the SMPTE Board:
Canada Region Governor
Jonathan Jobin, Grass Valley
USA - Hollywood Region Governor
Allan Schollnick, Voxx... Read More