Facebook Features Latest Update: Facebook is bringing 360-degree photos to News Feed

Facebook says it will let you upload and view 360-degree photos on mobile and the web in the coming weeks. This feature was secretly leaked by Zuckerberg himself where he showed the 360-degree video demo in one of his live video streams.

The feature will function similarly to 360-degree videosso you'll be able to click or even drag to explore an environment on desktop or turnor move your smartphone around. This feature which is relatively new to the social media world is actually a part of a greater mission for Facebook as a firm themselves in a way to explore faraway places. It's also tied directly to Facebook-owned Oculus VR's push for more live-action photography and video you can experience with the Gear VR and Rift headsets. Both devices will also be able to view 360-degree photos shared on the social network.

While 360-degree video has been available on Facebook since September of last year, this was rolled out only to Facebook staff or beta testers that Facebook had personally assigned themselves. Even thoughit's now coming out, it will still be quite a while for users and creators to adapt to the new format in large quantities. Facebook is also making its platform friendlier to photos which can be taken with a smartphone instead of an expensive video rig. This means that we may soon see a steady growth in both professional and enthusiasts 360-degree video content. This update which will soon be rolled out will let you upload panoramas captured with native smartphone cameras, 360-degree photospheres made with third-party apps, or photos shot using a dedicated 360-degree rigs.

Facebook wants to urge people to produce as many photos and videos as possible, so much so that it made a camera of its own. During its annual F8 developers conference, Facebook announced a reference design for a new 17-camera array called Facebook Surround 360.