Giving a 360-degree view

Cameras and apps that can take 360-degree photos and videos are a must-have, if they are part of your work or lifestyle. Facebook supported 360-degree photos and videos very early on itself. Now, the social tech giant has upgraded itself by enabling users to capture 360-degree photos from within the Facebook app.

Both the iOS and Android versions of the Facebook app will allow users to click 360-degree images without having to rely on a third-party application or an extra device.

This new feature includes the ability to zoom as well as tag friends. One of the major highlights is that it is also possible to use 360-degree images as cover photos. This is the first ever update Facebook has made for cover photos since its introduction. Users can also share their 360 shots directly to the Timeline or upload them to a specific album.

Capturing, using Facebook camera, is designed to be as easy as possible with Facebook employing computer vision to automatically stitch the photo after you rotate your phone. According to Facebook, here is how to take the 360-degree photo:

Open the Facebook app and click the ‘360 Photo’ option from the top of your News Feed, where you update your status. Press the blue button and follow the path from start to finish until you’ve taken a complete panorama. Select your preferred ‘starting view’ within the photo and share.

Mark Zuckerberg stated through his post, “These are similar to 360 videos - you can tilt your phone and feel like you're actually there. You can also check them out in virtual reality for a fully immersive experience. The big difference with 360 photos is you can take them with your phone. Just take a panorama or use a 360 camera app, then post it to Facebook and we'll take care of the rest.”

The in-app ability to take 360 photos and all these other features were rolled out worldwide yesterday. The company says users will get access to them soon enough, if these haven't popped up in your app yet.