Have you ever wondered what the Photo Sphere feature on the Google Camera app is? Photo Sphere allows a Pixel user to take photos and stitch them together to produce Street View-style 360-degree panoramas. The feature debuted in 2012 on the Nexus 4, and Google is now removing it from version 9.1 of the Google Camera app, which came preinstalled on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.
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The feature remains on older Pixel models using the Google Camera app version 9.0 or earlier. It’s not yet clear whether Photo Sphere will be removed once older phones receive the Google Camera 9.1 app. Even though few Pixel users were using Photo Sphere, some users are upset that Google made this call.
One user wrote on Reddit: “Why the hell would Google remove Photo Sphere? Every time I used it around an iPhone they would be shocked that it was in the standard camera app. What a disappointment man.” Another Reddit user had nothing but kind words to say about Photo Sphere. I’m so excited about this, it’s my favorite feature of the camera. It captures places like nothing else.”
Although Google didn’t put much thought into promoting Photo Sphere, about ten years ago it released a video showing how to use the feature. If you create a decent 360-degree Photo Sphere photo, you can submit it to Google Maps and you might find it published on the app.
Now that Photo Sphere is getting attention (although, ironically, that attention is because the feature is being discontinued on the Pixel 8 line), those who own an older Pixel model and previously ignored Photo Sphere might start using it and find that it’s a feature they really enjoy using. If you own a Pixel 7 series phone or earlier, you still have the option to use Photo Sphere, so take the time to create 360-degree images now, in case the feature is also removed from your Pixel phone.
