Similar to Daydream-ready smartphones for virtual reality, Google is launching a certification program for 360-degree cameras. “Street View ready” will insure that the upcoming 20 devices are easy-to-use and that recorded footage meets a standard.
With the Street View ready program, Google wants to reduce the barrier to “high-quality, interactive imagery” to just buying a compatible camera and downloading the Street View mobile app for Android or iOS.
There are four tiers, with the standards providing users with the “flexibility to choose the best way to upload imagery based on your interests.”
- Street View mobile ready: 360 cameras that can publish Street View directly from a mobile app—without requiring a desktop workflow
- Street View auto ready: 360 cameras tailored for vehicle-based collection with the highest accuracy
- Street View vr ready: 360 cameras or systems that collect geometry in addition to generating sets of connected 360 photos
- Street View workflow ready: Publishing tools (sometimes bundled with cameras) that can upload to Street View accounts
At the moment, 18 major brands like GoPro and Samsung are set to release 20 devices throughout 2017.
The full hardware and data specification needed for certification are listed on Google’s developer site, with a form available for interested manufacturers.
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