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Imagine this scenario: a close friend or member of your family is on a “holiday of a lifetime” style trip to South America or South-east Asia.
But as well as the sweeping panoramic photos that are making you hideously jealous, they’ve got a 360-degree camera with them, and so before you know it you’re effectively on the beach with them, looking round and taking in that sunset.
This is because you happen to have a virtual reality headset – Samsung’s Gear VR or LG’s 360 VR – and can immerse yourself in the footage. But even if you haven’t got a headset, both Facebook and YouTube enable you to click and drag, or tilt and rotate on mobile, to see the full scene.
360 Videos – Visit the Philippines – 360 | Facebook
The point is, these types of videos are set to take over your social timeline this year, thanks to a bundle of 360 cameras that are coming to market in the next few months. These devices are no bigger than GoPros, smartphones or digital cameras, but provide a new perspective on those key moments we all love to capture.
Pick the right moment, and the effects can be stunning.
360 Videos – Speed Flying – 360 | Facebook
But where this subject becomes even more interesting and immersive is the virtual reality aspect. This is something Mark Zuckerberg touched on when he spoke about VR being the “next platform” at Mobile World Congress, and when the head of Facebook says something like this you should probably take it seriously.
The reason for this is that good quality VR is already very accessible. Samsung’s Gear VR costs £80 – and you can even get it for free for a limited time when you pre-order the new Galaxy S7.
Mark Zuckerberg – I just joined Samsung to launch their… | Facebook
Then there’s Google Cardboard, for which the plans can be downloaded from Google for free and built yourself, or costs £20 to get one readily assembled. Both of those devices are compatible with modern smartphones, with hundreds of other free apps available to download too.
LG also joined the VR race at MWC, announcing the 360 VR headset, which doesn’t require a phone to be slotted into it, but does use a tethered connection to the new G5 smartphone.
So, the devices are in place to consume this new content, and the two biggest places for video on the web, Facebook and YouTube, are already actively promoting it. And now, thanks to these 360 cameras that are set to become the must-have gadget of 2016 – more and more of us will be creating content for virtual reality every single day.
The chances are, by the end of this year you’ll have uploaded, filmed or even starred in your first 360 VR video.
