Cycloramic App Captures Hands-Free 360 Degree Video Using iPhone's Vibrate Motor - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Cycloramic App Captures Hands-Free 360 Degree Video Using iPhone's Vibrate Motor

by

cycloramicCycloramic is a clever panoramic video app that was released earlier this week. Unlike most panorama apps available for the iPhone, Cycloramic doesn't require users to hold the phone steady while rotating in a circle.

Instead, the app takes advantage of the strong vibrating feature of the iPhone. When balanced on a flat surface such as a granite countertop, the phone will spin on its own, capturing a hands-free 360 degree video using either the front-facing or rear camera. TechCrunch has a rundown on how it works:

Start by balancing your phone upright on a flat surface (a granite countertop or glass table). The surface has to be really smooth, so don't expect any non-laminated wood or tiles to work.

Once you press "GO", the app will make the phone vibrate at just the right frequencies to force to phone into a twirl. Your iPhone will continue to spin in a circle, which recording video, until you press the "STOP" button.


Though Cycloramic will work with the iPhone 4/4S, it was designed for the iPhone 5's lightweight form factor, which means the older iPhones won’t spin as well. The phone must also be set to "Vibrate on Silent" and "Vibrate on Ring" to function properly.

Cycloramic can be downloaded from the App Store for $0.99. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

notjustjay Avatar
177 months ago
"Hey guys, watch this, I'm going to take a panoramic shot of the Grand Cany- oops!"
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
deannnnn Avatar
177 months ago
This is one of those things where the coolness factor totally outweighs the usefulness factor.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
177 months ago
Say no to vertical video

YOU'RE NOT SHOOTING THAT RIGHT, DUMMY!

http://youtu.be/Bt9zSfinwFA
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
177 months ago
Won't cases pose a problem?

You're casing it wrong ;)
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
testcard Avatar
177 months ago
I see it more as an exercise app. Set it up for 10 revolutions, hit Start, and then run around the kitchen table, attempting to remain in the frame as your iPhone rotates.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mrsir2009 Avatar
177 months ago
Looks like fun until the phone gets all scratched up from the bottom.

Oh my god! My phone has tiny hair-scratches on the side that you need to squint your eyes in just the right way to see! Life's not worth living!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple Event Logo

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Wednesday July 29, 2026 11:39 am PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system that is essentially a mix of tvOS, watchOS, and iOS, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a report this week, he said the operating system will feature a grid of icons, widgets, and apps, along with customizable clock faces. The new software platform is intended for Apple's long-rumored smart home hub. With built-in facial recognition,...
imac video apple feature

Apple Made Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever This Year

Wednesday July 29, 2026 12:03 pm PDT by
Apple this year acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014. This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019. Q.ai...
Apple Intelligence Comes Under Fire Feature

Apple Will 'Watch Everything Burn' When AI Bubble Bursts - Ed Zitron

Monday July 27, 2026 7:11 am PDT by
Memory prices have doubled, Macs and iPads have gone up, and iPhones are expected to follow. Ed Zitron – who writes the Where's Your Ed At newsletter, hosts the Better Offline podcast, and has been described by Politico as the AI boom's most "acerbic gadfly" – has spent years arguing the buildout driving those costs will never pay for itself. We asked him what happens to Apple if he's...