Facebook brings 3D photos to News Feed and VR
Facebook will now let you post 3D photos in the News Feed and in VR. The effect is achieved by technology that captures the distance between the subject in the foreground and the background. These 3D photos bring scenes to life with depth and movement. Facebook’s 3D Photos use the depth maps that are stored with “Portrait” photos taken on iPhone 7+, 8+, X or XS.
The announcement also gives tips on how Facebook users can get the best possible results for their 3D photos. According to Facebook, “you’ll get the best results if your main subject is three or four feet away, and to really make it pop, try to capture scenes with multiple layers of depth, including something in the foreground and something in the background—like a shot of your family standing in a field of flowers.” It recommends that you choose images that have contrasting colours so the subject of your photo can really ‘pop out’ from the background.
In a recent blog post, Facebook said: “Whether it’s a shot of your pet, your friends, or a beautiful spot from your latest vacation, you just take a photo in Portrait mode using your compatible dual-lens smartphone, then share as a 3D photo on Facebook where you can scroll, pan and tilt to see the photo in realistic 3D—like you’re looking through a window. You can also view 3D photos in VR using the Oculus Browser on Oculus Go or Firefox on Oculus Rift. Everyone will be able to see 3D photos in News Feed and VR today, while the ability to create and share 3D photos begins to roll out today and will be available to everyone in the coming weeks. We’re listening to feedback on this new format as we continue rolling it out to everyone. We hope it will help you share your moments in a new way — and we can’t wait to see what you’ll create!”
Facebook embracing immersive technology
This isn’t the first innovative feature that Facebook has launched recently. In July, Facebook announced that it will add augmented reality advertisements to both the Messenger and News Feed sections of its social media platform. Michael Kors, a world renowned fashion retailer, was the first brand to launch a test augmented advert on Facebook.