Over a decade ago, Google introduced the Photo Sphere mode. It’s a mode that allows you to create 360° images by stitching together a ton of pictures. It’s like having a 360-degree camera without having a 360° camera. Well, Google took the feature away with the launch of the Pixel 8 phones for some reason. Now, according to a new report, Google is reviving Photo Sphere.
Photo Sphere predates many of the smartphone camera gimmicks that we’ve seen over the years. Given Google’s track record for discontinuing products like there’s no tomorrow, it’s surprising that it has stuck around for so long. The feature requires you to stand still and take separate images while rotating the camera around. This included taking pictures above you and below you. The app would then stitch all the pictures together to create one 360° image. The technology has, undoubtedly, gotten better over the years. However, the results always varied a lot.
Google is reviving Photo Sphere after taking it away
At this point, we’re not certain how many people are still using this feature. Honestly, many of us had forgotten about his existence. In any case, a fun feature is a fun feature. For some reason, Google got rid of the Photo Sphere feature with the launch of the Pixel 8 (Review) and Pixel 8 Pro (Review). So, the update removed the feature from older Pixel devices that supported the feature, and it never made it to the Pixel 8 phones.
However, some people are reporting that the Photo Sphere feature has made a return. A user on Reddit posted that version 9.2.113.60477888.19 of the Google camera app brings this feature back to life. There is a bit of a catch, though. Photo Sphere is only returning for a phone that previously supported it. This includes the entire line of Pixel devices that launched before the Pixel 8 series. So, if you own a Pixel 8 phone, you will not be able to experience it. In any case, it’s still good news for people who loved and used the feature in the past.
2024-03-01 15:07:44