During the Mobile World Congress 2016, Samsung Elecronics did not only reveal its flagship smartphones Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, but also the Samsung Gear 360. This lightmweight camera that is able to capture 360-degrees photos and videos is expected to hit the market shelves by Q2 of 2016.
According to Venture Beat, Samsung Electronics has introduced the Gear 360 as part of its focus on the creative process. With this standalone device, users will be able to capture a 360-degree view as a photo or video and play it back within Samsung's Gear VR headset or through the Gear 360 mobile app on the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge smartphone.
The Samsung Gear 360 that weighs 5.39 ounces (153 grams) is a spherical camera which is part of Samsung's efforts to transport the future of photography into virtual reality. It lets owners produce high-quality video and content, while giving the tools through its app to edit and share the captured moment.
Furthermore, Gizmodo added that the general idea of the Samsung Gear 360 is a super portable camera which users can leave in the middle of a get together, party, or wherever, and they can start creating VR content. It also helps that this camera comes with a universal mount, so this little ball can be attached to any monopod or tripod.
When it comes with the specs, Fortune noted that the Samsung Gear 360 sports two 15-megapixel cameras. Those cameras are designed with fisheye lenses, which allow users to capture videos and stills at a full 180 degrees each. Samsung stated that these cameras can capture 360-degree video in 3,840-by-1,920 resolution. Still shots come in at an enourmous 30 megapixels, allowing the production of exceedingly large photos. The cameras can also be used both during the day and at night, as well as both indoors and outdoors.
The Gear 360 doesn't have an in-built storage but Samsung created a slot built into the device that supports microSD storage cards. Nonetheless, Samsung stated that those microSD cards must have a capacity of 128GB or fewer in order to work with the Gear 360. Interestingly, the company has incorporated a small, 0.5-inch display in the Gear 360.
Samsung Electronics hasn't stated any pricing yet for the device, but it confirmed that the Samsung Gear 360 will be available sometime in Q2 2016 in selected countries.
