The app is a free download here on iTunes. Photo Sphere is fun to use, if a bit much for everyday use. It’s like the consumer-grade version of the Google Street View camera.Īfter users create a Photo Sphere, they can opt to publish to a dedicated community within Google Maps called Views, or social networks like Google+, Facebook, and Twitter. Additionally, explains Google, locally relevant photo spheres may appear in Google Maps itself, helping people to virtually explore the world. Of course, Google’s entry into this space is more about gaining access to another stream of user-generated data which it can use to augment its Google Maps product. That makes them a more immersive experience, and lets you feel like you’re really seeing the view captured, like a beach, mountains, cityscape and more. iOS offers its own “Pano” mode and third-party apps like Sphere, 360 Panorama and the nifty hands-free Cycloramic have offered similar functionality for some time.īut what makes Google’s Photo Spheres different is that they let you look not just left and right, but also up and down – like you can with Google Street View, for example. Now available on iOS, the new app lets you stand in one place, pointing the viewfinder at a dot on the screen then tilt and move the phone until you’ve captured the scenery around you.ģ60 images are not exactly a new idea for smartphones.
The app is an expansion of a feature that was previously available via Google’s Android operating system, and shipped on the Nexus-branded smartphones. Step 1: Publish your photos Open the Street View app Street View. You can remove any uploaded photos by deleting them from your Google+ account (which is required in order to upload).Google has just launched a new photo application for iOS users called Photo Sphere Camera, which allows you to take 360-degree photos, then publish them to Google Maps or other social networks. One important bit of information you'll want to know is that your photos, including your name and the GPS coordinates of the photo, will be public. If you'd like to read more about how your photo can - and will - be used by Google, select the Read More button on the upload screen. The e-mail will include a link to the panorama photo on Google Maps, along with a link to your account for you to view all of your uploaded photos. When your first panorama is approved, you will receive an e-mail informing you of that. Each sphere has to be approved, which takes some time. After the upload has finished, you'll be taken back to your Gallery.ĭon't expect to be able to open Google Maps and view your photo right away. Tap on Publish Photo and the upload process will begin. Google Maps will then launch on your device, and a few seconds later you'll see the upload screen.When you tap the Sharing icon, you'll notice there's a Google Maps option. After taking a Photo Sphere and letting your Android device stitch it all together, you can view it in your Gallery.Tap the Google Maps icon to upload a Photo Sphere. Uploading to Google Maps takes just a few minutes of your time and is a great way to publicly show off your camera work. Looking at these panoramic photos on your device is just as easy, and so is sharing them, but in order to get the most out of the spheres, Google allows users to upload them to Google Maps. Once you're done, your phone will stitch the photos together creating a Photo Sphere. It essentially translates into a game of connect the dots, where a photo is taken at each dot. Your Android device will show you where to point the camera, you hold still for a few seconds and then you move on to the next mark, or dot. Creating a sphere is easy: launch the camera app and select the Photo Sphere icon.
You can then view these on your phone, share them to Google+, add them to Google Maps. With the feature, users can take 360-degree panoramic photos in just a few minutes. Google on Friday announced the launch of a photo sphere viewing widget that you can embed in any website.