The new Android companion app for Samsung’s Gear 360 (2017) camera was launched on the Google Play Store earlier this month. The South Korean tech giant started rolling out the app on Friday, meaning the mobile tool should already be available for download worldwide. While the app was primarily designed to accompany the Gear 360 (2017) camera, it’s also compatible with the original Gear 360 gadget that was announced at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in 2016. The revised version of the camera was officially unveiled simultaneously with the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8 Plus in late March and will soon be available for purchase in most key markets, so it isn’t surprising that Samsung already debuted its dedicated mobile app.
Regarding the offering itself, Samsung’s latest app is officially titled Samsung Gear 360 (New) and was specifically designed to serve as a remote control for the Gear 360 (2017) camera, allowing users to record, view, broadcast, and otherwise share content captured with Samsung’s new 360-degree camera. While the app supports both the original Gear 360 and its upcoming successor, some features are exclusive to the new Gear 360 (2017). For example, the vanilla version of the app can only be used for live broadcasts when paired with Samsung’s new portable camera, and as the Seoul-based consumer electronics manufacturer continues expanding the functionality of the app, that list of exclusive features might also grow in the future.
For the time being, the Samsung Gear 360 (New) is compatible with the Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Edge, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S6 Edge Plus, Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy A5 (2017), and the Galaxy A7 (2017). Naturally, the app also supports the upcoming Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8 Plus that are scheduled to hit the market this Friday, April 21. It’s currently unclear whether Samsung is planning to expand the list of compatible devices in the future, at least in terms of its older Android devices, though the Galaxy Note 8 that’s expected to hit the market later this year will almost certainly support this new companion app. You can download the app by following the Google Play Store link below even if your Galaxy-branded device has yet to receive the update to Android 7.0 Nougat, as the tool technically only requires Lollipop to work.
