Following the success in launching 360 videos a year ago and 360 photos back in June this year that allow people to fully immerse themselves in places they may have never seen before, Facebook has now acknowledged all the amazing content publishers and video creators have shared on the platform and is now taking this product to the next level. Today, Facebook announces that 360 videos and photos are coming to Instant Articles as well. “We’ve been amazed by all the creative and engaging content that publishers, video creators, and storytellers have shared on Facebook in this immersive new format,” said Josh Roberts, Facebook’s Product Manager. As described by Roberts, Facebook’s goal for this new update is to allow publishers and content creators to leverage the power of Instant Articles and 360-degree content to “paint more vivid scenes”.
According to s new report by Facebook; publishers, video creators and storytellers can simply start using this feature by first uploading their 360-degree content using Facebook’s native Instant Articles video player. Once this is created, users can see 360-degree content in those Instant Articles and be able to interact with them by turning their devices or tapping and dragging directly on the content. Facebook has recorded sudden users’ activities like sharing posts through Instant Articles as they allow users to interact with content on the platform faster than other regular posts. This new feature in Instant Articles is aimed at providing users with more of an immersive experience while interacting with Facebook platform compared to other regular static images everyone sees on their News Feed. Users with latest versions of the Facebook app on Android or iOS devices can start seeing this new feature from other publishers or brands they follow.
Facebook will continue to improve the Instant Article product and there is also a possibility of integrating some virtual reality right inside this product in the near future. Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg has previously spoken about the potential of virtual reality to transport people to places they have never been before or allow them to fully and truly immerse themselves in events they couldn’t attend. With Facebook gradually adding the 360 photos and videos feature in Instant Articles for users to have better interactive experience, the dream is few steps away from becoming a reality.