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360-Degree Videos Coming to Facebook News Feeds

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

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Facebook is taking video to the next level.

The social network on Wednesday added support for 360-degree videos, which will let you scope out a scene from any angle. The feature is rolling out now to Facebook News Feeds on the Web and Android, and will be available on iOS "in the coming months."

GoPro OdysseyTo capture one of these videos you'll need a special set of cameras — like the pricey GoPro Odyssey rig — capable of recording all 360 degrees of a scene simultaneously.

"This means that when the video is playing on Facebook, you can choose what angle you want to see it from," Facebook Video Engineering Director Maher Saba explained in a blog post.

On the Web, you can do this by dragging the video around with your mouse. On mobile devices, you can simply use your finger to take a look at all angles. You'll also be able to hold up your phone and the 360-degree video will follow along as you turn.

"In the future, imagine watching 360 videos of a friend's vacation to a small village in France or a festival in Brazil — you'll be able to look around and experience it as if you were there," Saba wrote.

Facebook is launching the new feature with videos from a number of brands and early adopters, including Discovery, GoPro, LeBron James, Saturday Night Live, and Vice to show "the range of possibilities with this new medium." Disney and Lucasfilm, for instance, are debuting a new 360-degree experience from the upcoming movie Star Wars: The Force Awakens, letting fans take a look inside the Star Wars universe.

"It's early days, but we're excited about the possibilities for 360 video and hope it helps people explore the world in new, immersive ways," Saba wrote.

The move comes after word spread earlier this month that Facebook was working on a new virtual reality app to let you view 360-degree videos on your phone. The effort follows Facebook's $2 billion acquisition of VR firm Oculus VR last year.

Meanwhile, Facebook isn't the only tech company betting big on spherical videos. Google in May introduced Jump, an open-source virtual reality platform for 360-degree videos. YouTube that same month added support for 360-degree videos.

360 Video on Facebook

Posted by 360 Videos on Facebook on Tuesday, September 22, 2015

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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