GoPro announces a $3,000 camera spherical rig that can help capture 360 degrees of VR content

GoPro's chief executive Nick Woodman has announced the development of a mount that can hold six GoPro cameras. The product allows its users to capture 360 degree pictures and videos that can be stitched together to create a virtual reality content.

The company behind the most popular wearable cameras has unveiled a prototype of a GoPro-based rig which has the capability of shooting a spherical content during the Code Conference. The spherical camera rig has six slots for GoPro Hero 4 cameras, designed in a cube-like formation to enable shooting of videos and photos from all directions at the same time.

GoPro announced that the six cameras will cost around $3000 without the inclusion of the said rig as its price is yet-to-be determined. The company visions the product to be used by professionals who desires creating immersive content which can be used in virtual reality. In fact, GoPro's new rig is also capable of integrating its footages to VR headsets like the Oculus Rift VR, Google Cardboard, Microsoft HoloLens or even in web services like Youtube 360.

"We don't expect the average consumer to purchase 6 GoPros plus the mounting rig and go out and capture spherical video - although they will," said Woodman.

Chief executive of the Facebook-owned Oculus, Brendan Iribe has mentioned at the Code Conference that in order for the VR to be successful, more video content should be provided which what GoPro is objectively going to do.

"For VR to be appealing to non-gamers, it's going to need content," Woodman said. "GoPro's positioned better than anybody in the world to provide that kind of content."

Since the introduction of its wearable devices, GoPro cameras have already been a must-have in shooting from regular events like weddings to extreme sports like snowboarding; and the company's new rig will surely improve the quality and style of these photos and videos..

Meanwhile, GoPro announced that the spherical camera rig is expected to be rolled out to the market in the second half of 2015.