When the Galaxy S8 was unveiled in late March, it wasn’t the only premium product in Samsung’s catalog that received a massive overhaul. The Gear 360 camera also got an impressive redesign, turning it from a somewhat clumsy sphere into a neatly pocketable stick.
But the 360’s case isn’t the only thing that changed. The device’s cameras have actually been downgraded—from dual 15MP fisheye lenses to dual 8.4MP fisheye lenses. Still, despite the lesser lenses, the Gear 360 is now able to record in 4K or broadcast live in 2K. Additionally, an updated Gear 360 app makes the new hardware compatible with a wider range of phones, including the iPhone. Beyond all of that, the new Gear 360 uses USB-C instead of microUSB, and there’s still a slot for an SD card.
While the option to use non-Galaxy phones looks good on paper, you really need a Galaxy phone to take full advantage of the camera’s features.
Getting started
The Gear 360 is easier than ever to use, as long as you own a Samsung phone. To get started, you’ll need to download the Gear 360 app from the iOS or Galaxy app store, and follow some simple setup instructions. Galaxy S8, S7, and S6 users, as well as Note5, and Galaxy A5 and A7 owners, will barely need to do anything other than turn the camera on, and wait a few seconds for a connection to be established.
Michael Simon/IDG
Once the two are paired, you’ll see a series of options. There’s a gallery that shows the photos and videos you’ve taken, and a live broadcast button that streams your content to YouTube or Facebook. As you record or broadcast, you’ll see a live preview of what’s being shot, and when you’ve finished, your recording will be saved to an in-app gallery.
[Source”cnbc”]
