HONG KONG, Oct. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — ION360 today announced the worldwide general availability of its ION360 U® — the world’s most portable, connected, immersive 360-degree camera — and an agreement with Sprint as the national retail carrier partner for the new camera. The product is now available in all of Sprint’s nationwide corporate retail locations.
The new 360-degree camera is a smart accessory that attaches directly to mobile devices, allowing users to instantly capture and share 360-degree images and 4K live streaming video with one touch — no syncing or downloading content required. The small camera case snaps easily onto smartphones transforming them into a full 360-degree camera. Users can share their stories from every angle without changing the way they interact with their mobile device. The ION360 U is the only mobile 360-degree smart accessory that supplies power to the camera. Additionally, when not in use for the camera functions, the case also serves as a battery charger to the smartphone.
The camera is already enjoying strong industry and consumer adoption. Facebook has certified the camera as 360-degree ready for its Live 360 Ready Program and has deployed cameras to its community where they are being used to capture a wide range of immersive experiences globally. The ION360 U makes it possible to livestream 4K video in seconds.
Availability
The ION360 U is available for the Apple® 7 and 7 Plus iPhone® and the Samsung® Galaxy® S8 and S8+. The iPhone version can be purchased in Sprint stores in the United States and on its website, with Samsung Galaxy devices to be available starting on October 27. The camera is also sold directly on the ION360 site.
The ION360 U app is available for download in both the Apple App StoreTM and Google Play StoreTM. The intuitive app automatically starts when the camera is attached to the phone, giving users an instantaneous ability to capture their 360-degree image or video.
“Through our Sprint partnership, the ION360 U is very well positioned to give customers an opportunity to see for themselves how easy to use and integrated the camera, case and app are,” said Giovanni Tomaselli, founder and president, ION360. “Instead of taking a still image from a static viewpoint – which traditional standalone or smartphone cameras provide – the ION360 U allows you to bring your family and friends into your experiences, from all perspectives, instantaneously, without changing the smartphone experience. Just snap it onto its case, and go. We give you the ability to share the ‘wow’ moments in your life and we want you to ‘Live In The Wow’ with us!”
Aaron Rhodes, executive producer at Pixvana, Inc. and respected camera reviewer conducted a hands-on evaluation of the ION360 U and he stated, “The new ION360 U is an impressive, nimble 360-degree camera that works with your smartphone. Once the app was installed, the interface was fast and simple. For an average consumer this felt like the right balance of control and simplicity. I shot a couple scenarios to give myself a broad range of exposure and color. I was very impressed with both indoor and outdoor setups. The latitude of color and exposure seemed to be solid, even with the default settings. The stitching at 4K on the camera, the image compression, and fidelity is some of the best I’ve seen.”
Being on the edge of the explosive growth of 360 on social platforms such as Facebook® and YouTube® the ION360 U will help fuel that growth precisely because the camera and integrated app gives users an easy way to capture and share content in real time and from a fully immersive perspective.
The camera — which contains a front and back lens — and the case combined weighs only 4.30 oz. As noted, the camera is powered by the ION360 U protective battery case and will not draw power from the phone itself. Battery life is 100 (+/- 10) minutes when the case is fully charged.
A quick overview of the camera’s specifications includes:
- All-in-one 360-degree camera that attaches to smartphones
- No impact on phone battery: ION360 U case can charge both camera and phone as needed
- Two cameras each with 7.4 megapixels and 200 degrees that can be perfectly stitched to true 360-degree video and images
- Quick and seamless immersive stitching
- Two hours of recording time in 4K video
- Live streaming to 360-degree capable on social media platforms*
- Custom ION360 app that automatically launches the camera function
Full camera details can be found here: ion360.com/.
About ION360:
Founded in 2016, ION360 is a global leader developing and manufacturing 360-degree cameras with offices in the USA, Hong Kong, United Kingdom and Japan. With the ION360 U, the company has reimagined the capture and sharing of 360-degree images and live stream 4K video by instantly transforming a smartphone into a 360-degree camera. For more information, visit ion360.com.
** Facebook and YouTube platforms
© 2017 ION360. All rights reserved. All referenced product names are the trademarks of their respective companies.
