Palo Alto, California – Facebook, Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) announced on Thursday that 360-degree videos won’t be only for Android. iOS devices can now enjoy the experience, as well.
This technology that allows you to view a scene from any angle, was first launched on September this year but was only available for Android. With the 360-degree videos, users can change their view of the image by holding their smartphone at a different angle or by dragging their finger around the frame. If the videos are being seen in a computer, the cursor is the tool.
360-degree videos aren’t virtual reality per se, but it is sure leading towards that direction. By now, you can have a much immersive experience by viewing them through a virtual reality headset.
In addition to the extension to apple users, Facebook has also announced a few updates to the service. One of them is the addition of new partners such as ABC News, Nickelodeon and Fox’s Screen Queen.
Also, the social media company is launching a microsite which will offer tips and will answer questions on how to create this kind of videos. The site will include upload guidelines and examples of unique 360 experiences.
Facebook is not planning to keep this technology only for big partners and advertisement. As a way to make it easier for users to share this kind of videos, that need a special type of camera, Facebook announced that is now negotiating with several camera makers to provide an in-app option to share this kind of videos.
“Videos taken with these cameras will be shareable directly from the native mobile apps, making it easier to share your 360 moments with friends and family,” Facebook said.
In the spirit of celebrating the new technology development, GoPro Inc. announced on Thursday the launching of Tahiti Surf VR, its new 360-video, exclusively on Facebook. This content shows what its proprietary six-camera spherical rig can do. The camera was first announced on September this year.
Source: TechCrunch