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
158 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
158 months ago
This is one of those things where the coolness factor totally outweighs the usefulness factor.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CTYankee Avatar
158 months ago
Say no to vertical video

YOU'RE NOT SHOOTING THAT RIGHT, DUMMY!

http://youtu.be/Bt9zSfinwFA
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
troop231 Avatar
158 months ago
Won't cases pose a problem?

You're casing it wrong ;)
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
testcard Avatar
158 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
158 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

iOS 18

Apple Expected to Release iOS 18.3 Next Week With These New Features

Thursday January 23, 2025 6:41 am PST by
iOS 18.3 should be released to the public next week, following beta testing since mid-December. While the software update is a relatively minor one, it still includes a handful of new features, changes, and bug fixes for iPhones. Below, we recap everything new in iOS 18.3. Notification Summary Changes Examples of inaccurate Apple Intelligence notification summaries Apple Intelligence...
iOS 18

5 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.3

Friday January 24, 2025 1:55 am PST by
Apple is set to release iOS 18.3 next week, bringing further refinements to Apple Intelligence features, a couple of neat new capabilities to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 devices, and bug fixes. While not quite as packed with new features as Apple's preceding iOS 18 point releases, iOS 18.3 still introduces capabilities that aim to make your iPhone smarter and more intuitive. Below, we've...
Generic iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Beta Coming Soon With These New Features for Your iPhone

Friday January 24, 2025 8:16 am PST by
iOS 18.3 is expected to be widely released next week, and that means the first iOS 18.4 beta for iPhones should be just around the corner. Apple has previously implied that iOS 18.4 will be released in April, as that is when it promised to make Apple Intelligence available in even more languages. Below, we outline what to expect from iOS 18.4 so far. Apple Intelligence for Siri Siri ...
Apple Pay Walmart Feature

Walmart Stands Firm on Why It Doesn't Accept Apple Pay in the U.S.

Thursday January 23, 2025 7:32 am PST by
Walmart still does not accept Apple Pay or other NFC payments at its more than 4,600 stores across the U.S., and it stood firm on its reasoning for that today. A spokesperson for Walmart today informed MacRumors that its position on contactless payments has not changed since we last reached out about the matter in 2022. The big-box retailer said it remains focused on its own convenient...
apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Launching This Year With These New Features

Wednesday January 22, 2025 6:01 pm PST by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year. In this article, we recap rumored features and changes for the device. The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports Wi-Fi 6E, which would be an upgrade over the current Apple TV's standard Wi-Fi 6 support. Wi-Fi 6E extends the...
iOS 18

Here Are Apple's Full Release Notes for iOS 18.3

Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:31 pm PST by
Apple provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 18.3 today, and with it comes release notes confirming what's new. While we knew about several of the features that are in the update, there are some lesser known tweaks and bug fixes. The update adds new Visual Intelligence features for iPhone 16 models, it tweaks Notification summaries on all...
iPhone 17 Pro Dual Tone Horizontal Single Feature

Kuo: iPhone 17 Models Won't Have Smaller Dynamic Island

Friday January 24, 2025 9:09 am PST by
The upcoming iPhone 17 models that Apple plans to release this year will not feature a smaller Dynamic Island, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today. On social media, he said that he is expecting the size of the Dynamic Island to remain "largely unchanged" across the iPhone 17 lineup. His statement is contrary to prior rumors that we've heard about planned changes for the iPhone 17 models. ...
iPhone 16 Apple Store Levels

Gurman: Apple Stores Receiving 'Merchandise' Updates Next Week

Saturday January 25, 2025 5:07 pm PST by
Apple's retail stores will be rolling out "merchandise/floor marketing updates" next week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman did not explicitly say if the store updates are related to any upcoming product announcements, but he did mention that next week is around the time that Apple rolls out its annual Black Unity watch band for the Apple Watch. In each of the past four years, ...
apple power beats pro 2

Apple's First Product Announcement of 2025 is Imminent

Thursday January 23, 2025 2:48 pm PST by
It's also time for Apple's first product announcement of the year. Last year, Apple said it would be launching Powerbeats Pro 2 in 2025, and the wireless earbuds are expected to launch very soon. Powerbeats Pro 2 images found in iOS 18 code In his Power On newsletter last weekend, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the Powerbeats Pro 2 are "due imminently." In addition to Apple filing the...