Snap Inc of Snapchat message app has recently been exploring a 360 camera product.
However, according to a recent report, Snap Inc has also been working on drones. Should the company pursue such a camera product or should it go ahead with its recent interest in working on drones, is an interesting question.
Drone for Photography
Snap is aiming at turning into a camera company, so drones capable of taking pictures or videos from overhead would offer more capabilities to its photography ambitions. The reports state that Snap is working on 360 cameras as well as drones.
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Exploring 360 Camera
TechCrunch reports that Snap has been exploring the 360 camera product possibly for a future release. There are some other sources that also claim to be familiar with this matter. They claim that Snap Inc has tapped developers for helping it in the project.
Early Phase
Snap Inc is in the early stages of its drone venture as well as the 360 camera device. Hence, it is not certain whether the company will release the 360 camera device soon. However, it seems to be a reasonable move, as the customer can use the 360 cameras for capturing a photo or a video and can observe it from different points just by swiping the screen. If a 360 camera is accessed to developers of content, its quality will also improve and this will probably bring more users to the Snap platform.
Drone or 360 Camera
So, should Snap proceed with the drone or the 360 camera project? If Snap decides to develop and then proceed to the sales of its own drones, it will have to face stiff competition in the industry. DJI is the industry leader having a wide variety of drones and offering several camera options. It could pose a formidable competition to drones launched by Snap. If Snap decides to release drones, they must be unique when compared to others present in the market currently. They must also be trendy in keeping with the image of Snap.
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On the other hand, if Snap decided to sell a 360 camera, it might prove to be the right move. This is because the other devices, like the Gear 360 of Samsung or the Ricoh Theta, though present in the US, have not been a success in the market.
Filling the Holes
According to news from TechCrunch, Snapchat seems to be filling the holes in case of smartphone cameras and their capabilities. The hardware will probably offer solutions to what the cameras in present cameras are not able to do. For instance, smartphone cameras lack the ability of offering hands free use. In addition, there is no option for first person videos and this is the exact reason for the creation of Spectacles. It seems that Snap considers it important to get into the 360 camera space.