Facebook makes 360-degree visuals app for Samsung Gear VR

Facebook is making an app to view 360-degree footage from its own news feed on Samsung’s Gear VR. The South Korean manufacturer makes the Gear VR with Facebook subsidiary Oculus.

In the app, users can not only see 360-degree images of their own contacts, but also find material from other uploaders that is publicly available online, Facebook writes. In addition, users of a compatible phone such as the Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S6 can save footage from the news feed during normal use on the phone and then play it back with the Gear VR.

Facebook bought Oculus a few years ago, but it’s the first software under the Facebook name on Oculus’ 360-degree platform on the Gear VR. The Facebook 360 app is in the Oculus Store. The social network has long supported the upload of photos and videos in 360 degrees.

The Gear VR is Samsung’s virtual reality headset. Users slide their Galaxy smartphone into the glasses to watch movies and play games on the screen via Oculus software. The Gear VR came out at the same time as the Galaxy S6, about two years ago. In addition to S6 phones, the S7 series is also compatible with the accessory.