Panorama photos are not exactly a novel concept for smartphones. But Google's Photo Sphere, out now for iOS, takes panorama to the next level.
Photo Sphere started as a feature for Android devices that let users capture their entire surroundings in just one image. The process starts with a full-circle panorama shot then expands as the user takes more pictures while tilting his phone up and down. The whole process seems time-consuming and perhaps a little tedious, so maybe it's not the kind of app you want to load up on a busy street to snap a quick pic of a cool looking building. But for preserving memories of a favorite vacation or maybe just a beloved hangout spot, Photo Sphere adds another level to your photography.
The resulting product is an entire image bubble that the program pieces together from the pictures that were just taken. The effect is similar to what Google Maps users are used to seeing in Street View, the same feeling of a head-to-toe photo environment. Photo Spheres can be shared from the app to Twitter and Facebook or sent over email. Users can also submit their Photo Spheres to Google Maps to give prospective travellers a good idea of what a location has to offer in terms of scenery.
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The iOS app is available free for iPhones and iPads that are running iOS 7, though the page on iTunes warns that Photo Sphere is optimized for the iPhone 5 and that it will not work with the iPhone 4.
