360 Panorama: iPhone 4 surfs the Web with gyroscopic support in Mobile Safari

(Credit: Screenshot by Joe Aimonetti)

App maker Occipital has provided a working demo of Apple's newly integrated gyroscope support in Mobile Safari using images created by 360 Panorama, Occipital's great panoramic photography App for iOS 4.2.

The site, when visited by an iOS device with a gyroscope and running iOS 4.2.1, allows you to view photographs taken with the 360 Panorama App by simply moving the device. Based on your iPhone's orientation the photograph will follow. I had to keep my iPhone fairly vertical in order for the gyroscope to read properly, but the experience was pretty fun considering I had to spin around in my chair to see the entire photograph.

With Occipital's software, you can create an entire 360-degree image and share it with friends via Twitter or e-mail, or add it to your Camera Roll for viewing later.

According to TNW Apps interviewing Occipital co-founder Vikas Reddy, 360 Panorama has been the No. 1 photography app in Apple's App Store in the U.S. and 20 other countries, has had over 20,000 panoramas uploaded to Twitter, and is expected to reach over 800,000 "panorama views" by the end of December.

This video shows off 360 Panorama's amazing effect:

Certainly the ability to access the gyroscope in Mobile Safari will give Web developers greater depth when deciding how to make use of the iPhone's unique properties as an application and gaming device. The 360 Panorama test is just the beginning of what is sure to be a popular trend in mobile Web development.

Even in low light, 360 Panorama takes a fun photograph.

(Credit: Image by Joe Aimonetti)

What other applications should use the gyroscope functionality in Mobile Safari? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!