360-degree camera maker Insta360 introduced support for Live 360 on Facebook today, letting users share full, immersive experiences straight from their phones in real time.
Insta360 worked closely with Facebook to ensure a seamless, integrated user experience, and with this integration, Insta360 cameras are recognized by Facebook as a way to make Live 360 “easy, reliable and fun”.
“The way we communicate is getting more and more visual, and live 360 video is the richest medium of all,” said JK Liu, founder and CEO of Insta360. “We’re excited to bring Facebook users a way to go live in 360 that fits in seamlessly with the way they already use their phones.”
The Insta360 Nano and Insta360 Air cameras – plug-and-play 360 cameras for iPhone and Android users respectively – already have full support for Facebook 360 Live via their dedicated apps. The Insta360 Pro, the company’s professional-level 8K camera, will also have integrated Facebook support when it arrives in Q2.
How it works
nsta360 Air Livestreaming for Android phones
After downloading today’s app updates, users of the Insta360 Nano and Insta360 Air will be able to choose to go live on Facebook directly from the camera interface.
The Nano and Air connect directly to a smartphone’s charging port, allowing users to conveniently see what they capture in real time on their phone display, and to maintain a perfectly stable connection throughout live broadcasts — something that’s not always possible with devices that rely instead on Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connections.
Insta360 users can choose to go live in 360 on Facebook timelines, groups and Pages, with the latter option opening up Live 360 to brands and businesses.
Once a live-stream has begun, on-screen indicators in the Air and Nano apps will let users see how many viewers are tuning in, watch “Likes” and other reactions update in real time, and most importantly, monitor live comments from their audience, allowing for real-time interaction.
[For a full guide, check out “How to Use Facebook Live 360“]
The world in 360
Integrated support for Live 360 on Facebook is the latest in Insta360’s efforts to make high-quality 360 live-streaming accessible to the world.
Insta360 has also partnered with the Twitter-owned live-streaming app Periscope. The Insta360 Nano is the only device natively supported for 360 live-streaming on Twitter and Periscope.
Insta360 cameras also make going live in 360 on YouTube as easy as a few taps on your phone.
As always, Insta360 supports and improves its devices long after the time of purchase. Insta360 users can expect more new Facebook-ready features in future updates.
