March 1, 2018
With the launch of Facebook Spaces last year, Facebook aimed to democratise the world of social VR, and in October announced functionality that brought immersive 360 images (not just videos!) to the Facebook newsfeed. Until now however, posts have been limited to those created in Oculus Medium, and you have to agree with us – there haven’t been many shared!
All that’s set to change – in a recent announcement, the platform has opened up 3D image sharing to include support for glTF 2.0 file format, the industry standard. This update means more brands and creators will be able to share realistic 3D objects and scenes directly with their fans and followers on Facebook.
The opportunity to share interactive 3D imagery isn’t just exciting for brands like Lego, who have already taken advantage of the update. Given how important social is as a research tool in online customer journey, 3D imaging has so many possibilities across multiple industries, and here’s the kind of thing we’re hoping to see on our newsfeeds:
Travel
- 3D imaging could be the perfect way to showcase a new hotel room. Being able to see the layout in feed before you booked would help you make a decision about where to stay on your next minibreak
- Some creative brands might create a 3D image showing their hotel or venue on an interactive map that highlights its prime location – it’s much easier to visualise that than read about!
Fashion
- Some companies already allow you to check out trainers in 3D on their websites, so should be a no brainer that they’d use this same format on Facebook
- Watchmakers could start to use the format to showcase their premium products, allowing potential customers to view every angle of the watch without having to go in store. Outside of fashion, the same can be said for mobile phones, cars and other technology
Culture
- We’d love museums and galleries to share artifacts and exhibits more widely. Even news stories could be more engaging – imagine if we’d had 3D interactive images of Cheddar Man on Facebook
The challenge is firmly with brands and their creative agencies to make the most of this new format, and we’re most certainly up for some 3D fun!