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
105 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
105 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
105 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
105 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
105 months ago
What a solid RUMOR!
Secret is out!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Production Will Reportedly Begin Ramping Up in October

Tuesday July 23, 2024 2:00 pm PDT by
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature

iPhone 17 Lineup Specs Detail Display Upgrade and New High-End Model

Monday July 22, 2024 4:33 am PDT by
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Generic iPhone 17 Feature With Full Width Dynamic Island

Kuo: Ultra-Thin iPhone 17 to Feature A19 Chip, Single Rear Camera, Semi-Titanium Frame, and More

Wednesday July 24, 2024 9:06 am PDT by
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Less Than Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Thursday July 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
icloud private relay outage

iCloud Private Relay Experiencing Outage

Thursday July 25, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay service is down for some users, according to Apple’s System Status page. Apple says that the iCloud Private Relay service may be slow or unavailable. The outage started at 2:34 p.m. Eastern Time, but it does not appear to be affecting all iCloud users. Some impacted users are unable to browse the web without turning iCloud Private Relay off, while others are...