Sprayscape
By Chris Morris,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Imperfect VR-themed app for phones still amuses.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this app.
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
Sprayscape
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What’s It About?
With SPRAYSCAPE users can take 360-degree pictures by pointing their phone at the area around them and tapping the screen multiple times as they revolve. From there, they can view these quasi-VR shots or share them with friends via a link if they have a Google account. If a user does sign in with an account, creations are stored in Google Drive, where you can delete them. Shots can be viewed either on other Android phones or using a VR headset such as Google Cardboard or Samsung's Gear VR.
Is It Any Good?
The aim of this photo app seems to be to make a much simpler form of VR accessible to all, but its uses and quality are a bit limited. Putting together a 360-degree photo with Sprayscape is very easy to do. The problem is that there aren't a lot of times when that's really worth the effort. Even when one of those times comes along, the resulting photo looks stitched together, often with warped features. As a result, it's an app that kids might love for its unique qualities, but parents likely will abandon it after a few uses. Ultimately, it's a one-trick pony app whose trick really isn't all that impressive.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about creative expression and ways to showcase your individuality. How does this app let you be creative? What are its limitations?
Talk about what's appropriate to take pictures of and what's not.
Discuss virtual reality and the forms it's starting to take. What's cool about it? What are some possible concerns?
App Details
- Device: Android
- Pricing structure: Free
- Release date: October 12, 2016
- Category: Photo & Video
- Publisher: Google Creative Lab
- Version: 1.0.0
- Minimum software requirements: Varies with device
- Last updated: August 10, 2021
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