A report by The Verge two days ago showed that Google will be releasing the virtual reality Cardboard Camera App for iOS users very soon. The app is already available for Android users on Google Play and has a user rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 from over 11,000 users, and will now be available for iOS users on most recent versions including iOS 10 that powers the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. It has already been downloaded more than a million times on Google Play.
Along with the launch on the iOS platform, Google is making changes to the Android version of the virtual reality camera app as well. The updated app will allow users to share single images as well as collections using shareable links. Until now, Android users have had to do this from their Gallery app.
How Does This Virtual Reality Camera App Work?
The Cardboard Camera app is actually a very simple application. It allows you to take panorama-like images in Virtual Reality mode and share that with your friends and family. Unlike the panorama shots that you can take with Google’s Photo Spheres, for example, this app will also record any ambient sound when you take these photos. Once you share it, the recipient will be prompted to open it with the Cardboard Camera app or download the app. It will then be made available in a separate folder called “Shared with You” within the app itself.
Remember, this is not the same virtual reality experience that high-end VR photography systems provide, but it uses a similar ‘stitching’ technology that makes 360-degree photography possible. For slightly more evolved 36-degree photography you can check out something like the Nokia Ozo or Jaunt One, or the GoPro Omni for VR video capture.
For more advanced systems, however, you will need to invest in something like the EYE Camera. There are several top-of-the-line products currently in various stages of development, and you can see a full list of upcoming 360-degree, VR-capable cameras here.
Technology advancements in VR photography and videography are coming in thick and fast, and before you know it we’ll have a very robust collection of amateur and professional gear for VR lovers who want to be able to share their experiences through imagery and sound.
Google Cardboard is at the low end of the price spectrum, but with the new Google Daydream hybrid store project launching soon, we should be able to see several new VR applications being developed and released over the next few months.
Google’s Virtual Reality (VR) Platform “Daydream” Launching Soon
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