Remember that one time that Facebook bought Oculus, maker of the Rift virtual reality headset? Well now Facebook is doubling down on its 3D efforts by enabling 3D videos in the News Feed.
Starting today, Facebook users on Android and the web will begin to see 3D videos pop up in their News Feeds. The first publishers to take advantage of the feature include Star Wars, Discovery, GoPro, LeBron James, Saturday Night Live, and Vice.
Facebook has posted a video showing how 3D videos will work on Android. The Star Wars video shows the perspective of someone riding around in a speeder, flying by a crashed Star Destroyer with another speeder nearby. While watching the video, you can use your finger to look around the environment, all while the speeder that you’re inside continues to move.
Facebook’s 3D video looks pretty cool, and while the Star Wars video used in its demo may not seem super exciting to some, there are some cool possibilities for this feature. It could be used to give the public close looks at warzones or disaster areas, or make viewers feel like they’re in the middle of a jungle or a part of some exclusive event. And while these 3D videos may not be as immersive on your phone as they would be on a virtual reality headset, most folks likely already have a phone that they could watch them on.
To get a feel for what viewing Facebook’s 3D videos on an Android phone is like, click this link. Facebook says that 3D video support will be coming to iOS “in the coming months.”