If you’re familiar with Bing maps, you will most likely have encountered a 360 degree panoramic “StreetSide” image. They allow you to pan and zoom around points on a map at street level. Now imagine those images are videos and the point of view is, for example, jumping from a plane at 3000 feet or driving an F1 race car. Pretty cool huh? Windows can now play such videos with a new app from French company Webrox. They’re the makers of Tubecast – which won best YouTube app for Windows and Windows Phone in our recent survey. Their new app is called Video 360.
This universal app is available on both Windows and Windows Phone and according to the video below is the first of its kind in both stores. As the name Video 360 suggests, you can zoom and pan 360 degrees around some action packed videos by pinching and swiping or simply moving your phone. The app will also connect with Tubecast (which is free in the Windows and Windows Phone stores) so that you can view YouTube 360 degrees videos, even in 4K. You can also play 360 videos stored on your smart phone or SD card.
Video 360 costs $1.99 in both stores. However, it does have a trial option. Other options include the ability to control the video with a keyboard, mouse and even an Xbox controller. One can hope that Webrox will eventually support VR headsets such as the Oculus Rift for what would be an incredible immersive experience.
With the Windows 10 launch date getting ever closer, we’re now starting to see more and more universal apps appear in the store. What do you think of this new video player? Is it overkill to be able to change the camera angle? Or is it just plain cool? Let us know below.
