Got a monster connection? YouTube now has 4K live streams

4K video streaming is still a significant obstacle for many internet users, requiring fast speeds and loads of data to take advantage of it. But 4K live streaming is an even bigger obstacle though, owing to the real-time nature of it all. Still, that hasn’t stopped YouTube from supporting the standard, the company announced earlier this week.

“Today, we’re proud to say that we’re taking 4K video one step further with the launch of 4K live streaming for both 360-degree videos and standard videos,” YouTube explained.

The first high-profile use for the standard came last night at The Game Awards, which saw live streaming take place at 4K. Of course, it isn’t live anymore but, like all live-streamed content on YouTube, you can check out the replay anyway.

YouTube now supports 4K live streams – in regular and 360 degree flavours

The new live-streaming format should make for a much better 360 video experience, as the higher resolution makes for a sharper image across the board. This is especially important for VR, as the image is much closer to your face, so any pixellation will show up in a big way.

“Get ready for 360 concert and event streams that look sharper, cleaner, and brighter than ever before,” YouTube added.

The prospect of live streaming 360 video in 4K takes us one step closer to being able to attend weddings, birthdays and other events in real-time and in VR. But of course, internet connections will need to take a big step up to take advantage of the technology.