Ailing consumer electronics brand Polaroid has leant its name to a new motion photo sharing platform called Polaroid Swing which saw its release on the App Store yesterday.

Similar to Live Photos in iOS, the app lets users capture a one-second moment with their device's camera, which can then be shared over social media or in the new platform's Instagram-like social feed.

Polaroid Swing
While its premise is nothing new, the quality of the motion captures is a step above that offered by typical GIF-creation apps, and records moments in 60 frames per second for smooth, crisp playback.

What's also unique to Polaroid Swing is the way users interact with the shots. Tilting the device left rewinds the moment, while angling it right advances the capture relative to the speed of the user's motion.

Floating the mouse cursor over a capture when viewed on a desktop, or sliding a finger over the shot on an iOS device, produces the same effect. Users can also embed Polaroid Swing moments as another way of sharing their experiences.


The app is the result of a partnership between the Polaroid brand and a Silicon Valley tech startup chaired by Twitter co-founder Biz Stone.

The developer team is comprised of former Apple engineers as well as the creator of Instagram's original filters and logo, Cole Rise.


"Polaroid Swing has the potential to change the way we think about images, just like Twitter's 140 characters changed how we think about words," said Biz Stone in a press release. "People will start seeing the world in one second moments. It's a genre-defining medium."

Polaroid Swing is a free download for iPhone and iPad available on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

Telos101 Avatar
123 months ago
It would have been better if they just concentrated on the app instead of trying to do another social platform. Too many already.

Otherwise, quality looks decent.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vooke Avatar
123 months ago
Another social media app. One too many have had modest to fantastic successes so, why not Polaroid?

Looking at the deal, it is quite likely that they incurred a few bucks so even if it fails, they won't feel it
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Romey-Rome Avatar
123 months ago
Interesting concept based on the samples in the article, but I'm not sure twitter has changed how we feel about words.
Sure it has. It made everyone feel more offended by words.
[doublepost=1468450308][/doublepost]Am I blind, or is there no camera in this app?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kaibelf Avatar
123 months ago
Interesting concept based on the samples in the article, but I'm not sure twitter has changed how we feel about words.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
reemas Avatar
123 months ago
What a solid RUMOR!
Secret is out!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Coming Soon With These 8 New Features on Your iPhone

Thursday December 11, 2025 8:49 am PST by
Apple seeded the second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to developers earlier this week, meaning the update will be released to the general public very soon. Apple confirmed iOS 26.2 would be released in December, but it did not provide a specific date. We expect the update to be released by early next week. iOS 26.2 includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, such as a new...
iOS 26

iOS 26.4 and iOS 27 Features Revealed in New Leak

Friday December 12, 2025 10:56 am PST by
Macworld's Filipe Espósito today revealed a handful of features that Apple is allegedly planning for iOS 26.4, iOS 27, and even iOS 28. The report said the features are referenced within the code for a leaked internal build of iOS 26 that is not meant to be seen by the public. However, it appears that Espósito and/or his sources managed to gain access to it, providing us with a sneak peek...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3

Thursday December 11, 2025 11:28 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3 and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B30, up from 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 firmware is 8B28, up from 8B21. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 are getting expanded support for Live Translation in the European Union in iOS...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.2 With Alarms for Reminders, Lock Screen Changes, Enhanced Safety Alerts and More

Friday December 12, 2025 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.2, the second major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.2 comes a little over a month after iOS 26.1 launched. ‌iOS 26‌.2 is compatible with the ‌iPhone‌ 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings >...
Google maps feaure

Google Maps Quietly Added This Long-Overdue Feature for Drivers

Wednesday December 10, 2025 2:52 am PST by
Google Maps on iOS quietly gained a new feature recently that automatically recognizes where you've parked your vehicle and saves the location for you. Announced on LinkedIn by Rio Akasaka, Google Maps' senior product manager, the new feature auto-detects your parked location even if you don't use the parking pin function, saves it for up to 48 hours, and then automatically removes it once...
AirTag 2 Mock Feature

Apple AirTag 2: Four New Features Found in iOS 26 Code

Thursday December 11, 2025 10:31 am PST by
The AirTag 2 will include a handful of new features that will improve tracking capabilities, according to a new report from Macworld. The site says that it was able to access an internal build of iOS 26, which includes references to multiple unreleased products. Here's what's supposedly coming: An improved pairing process, though no details were provided. AirTag pairing is already...
macOS Tahoe 26 Thumb

Apple Releases macOS Tahoe 26.2 With Edge Light

Friday December 12, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Apple today released macOS Tahoe 26.2, the second major update to the macOS Tahoe operating system that came out in September. macOS Tahoe 26.2 comes five weeks after Apple released macOS Tahoe 26.1. Mac users can download the macOS Tahoe update by using the Software Update section of System Settings. macOS Tahoe 26.2 includes Edge Light, a feature that illuminates your face with soft...
iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...