Facebook lets users upload interactive 360-degree photos

Interactivity is the name of the game these days, as illustrated by the explosion of interest in VR. Facebook may not have gone quite as far as bringing virtual reality to your newsfeed, but it does now support 360-degree photos -- or 360 Photos as it has been dubbed.

Starting tomorrow, you'll be able to upload either 360-degree photos, or panoramic photos. On the web, these become interactive images that you can scroll around using a mouse, but on a smartphone you have a couple of options. You can either tap and drag your way around an image, or hold up your phone and move it around, taking advantage of the accelerometer. If you want to get really fancy, you could don a Samsung Gear VR headset.

The 360-degree fun starts today. Right now you can enjoy 360-degree photos in the iOS and Android apps, but as of tomorrow you will also be able to upload your own. You'll need to use the right software (or a 360-degree camera) to take your shots, and Facebook has provided a handy guide to get you started.

360-degree photos can be identified in your newsfeed by the compass icon displayed on top of them. Facebook already has some big names on board. Product manager Andy Huang says:

Along with 360 photos from your friends and family, you can discover stunning new 360 photos on Facebook from public figures, publishers, and other organizations. 360 photos give you the ability to take the stage in front of 100,000 fans with Paul McCartney, get behind-the-scenes access to the Supreme Court via The New York Times, visit the International Space Station with NASA, and more. This medium enables new opportunities for creativity, and we’re excited to see what kinds of 360 photos get shared on Facebook.

To give people a chance to talk about the new feature, Facebook has set up a Facebook 360 site and a Facebook 360 Community group.