After Facebook released 360-degree video support in September, other companies saw the potential and jumped on it. GoPro was one of the pack leaders in adopting the new tech, and its example was followed by names such as Vice, Star Wars and Discovery.
On Nov. 12, GoPro showcased its third 360-degree video: it features Matahi Drollet and Anthony Walsh, who presented what surfing in VR looks like. Coincidence or not, the release lines up with a Facebook announcement underlining that the social media company now supports 360 videos on mobile devices. This is good news for all users who enjoy looking at videos on the move instead of being chained to a desktop.
The first two GoPro 360-videos featured Ronnie Renner FMX doing some wicked dune jumping in Idaho and skiers Julia Mancuso and Chris Davenport sliding down the slopes of Chile.
"We think people will share a lot more 360 content in the future, especially as technology makes it easier to record it themselves," Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook wrote in a new Facebook post.
His statement came alongside a 360-degree video shot of a parade in North Korea, provided by ABC News.
The number of video views registered by the largest social media company has increased at a spectacular rate this year – up to 100 percent since April. Facebook declared that it now sees over 8 billion video views per day from its user base of 500 million.
This creates ample opportunities for companies, who are ready to invest energy and time in order to be more visible in Facebook's News Feed. GoPro is one of them and should offer more exciting VR experiences soon.
"People can discover these immersive 360 videos right in News Feed on web, iOS, and Android, where viewers can choose what angle they want to see it from," GoPro explained.
The action camera manufacturer further highlights how users may enjoy the 360-degree videos. On desktop devices, the user shifts his point of view by dragging the mouse around. For mobile devices, be it iOS or Android, viewers can simply change the perspective by swiping gestures on the display or by tilting the device too.
The fact that 360-degree videos are enjoyable without the need for a VR headset will appeal to a wide audience, and that only means that we'll see more of them in the future. In the meatime, check out GoPro's new 360-degree video on Facebook.
