Dive Brief:

• The launch has already been teased, but Facebook officially launched 360 degree, also called panoramic, video on users News Feeds.
• Several brands took advantage of the first day of 360 degree video, including Star Wars, Saturday Night Live, GoPro and LeBron James.
• Facebook is in the process of developing a standalone app for viewing 360 degree video.

Dive Insight:

Facebook users and marketers alike have been anticipating 360 degree video on the social media platform, and the format is now available on users’ news feeds. A number of brands were ready to go on day one with 360 degree video – also referred to as panoramic video. Currently only desktop and Android app users can view the format with an Apple version in the works. Facebook is also developing a standalone app designed specifically for viewing 360 degree video.

Desktop users can click and pan within the videos created by cameras that are capable of shooting in 360 degree mode, and mobile users can tap videos and control their viewpoint by tilting the device. Facebook director of product Chris Cox described the mobile experience, “On the phone especially, slowly turning around and tilting your device up and down to watch a scene as it’s playing is a really cool experience that takes you somewhere else It’s the kind of thing that you run over to show someone else the moment you first see it.”

YouTube began supporting the format in March.