One of the best benefits of having a virtual tour is that they can be experienced on multiple devices. Explore how to experience virtual tours on your phone, tablet, desktop, or VR headset. Compare features and find the best device for an immersive 360-degree tour experience.
Virtual Tours are the most interactive and engaging form of media! Allowing you to learn, move, interact, and more at your own pace. What else makes them great in their diversification is that a virtual tour can be experienced on every major device. However, each device presents its own unique benefits and challenges.
In this article we will breakdown the virtual tour experience on the four major devices of mobile, tablet, desktop, and VR. Whether you are an individual viewer or a business, this guide will help you understand the user experience on each device.
Fun Fact: If a device has access to the internet and a touchscreen, it can host a virtual tour. In fact we have even seen our virtual tours on smart refrigerators.
Mobile Devices
Mobile cell phone devices, aka smartphones, are the most used and consumed tech device in human history! In fact you are probably reading this article on a smartphone right now. For businesses a mobile friendly website is essential. Luckily most virtual tours work just fine on mobile devices.
However, out of all the devices, mobile devices offer the least overall experience. This is because they have the smallest screen. While virtual tours allow full screen mode, with mobile devices that means that the virtual tour will be viewed in a vertical fashion. Since virtual tours are made with 360-degree imagery, it still allows for a functional experience even in a vertical view.
So while most virtual tours will be viewed on smartphones out of convenience, let’s take a look at some of the other devices and the experience you can expect there.
Tablet
Tablet devices occupy a middle spot when it comes to experiencing a virtual tour. They offer a larger screen than a mobile device, but are far more portable than a desktop device. Because of those features and utilities, we call tablets the “sharing device”.
For businesses having a virtual tour on a tablet is great when it comes to showcasing. Due to its portability and larger screen, tablets can serve a potent purpose at conventions and tradeshows. Allowing visitors to your booth to get a hands on and immediate walkthrough with your brand.
However, surprisingly tablets are the third most common device in U.S. households.
Desktop
Virtual tours were almost exclusively made for laptops and desktops devices. Which is why computers offer one of the best experiences for taking a virtual tour. With mobile and tablet devices, you have to constantly touch to look and move around. While with a desktop, it's easier to move and look around by using the mouse to click and drag.
Desktops offer the largest screen display, and when put into “full screen mode” they actually take up the full screen. In addition, desktop devices allow you to get the image on a larger screen such as a television, much easier than other devices (through the use of an HDMI cable). This is great when it comes to things like presentations and showcases at trade shows and conferences.
VR
Virtual Reality is the absolute best way to experience a virtual tour! This is because with VR it allows you to feel like you are actually there. Unlike other devices where you have to touch or click to move around, with VR you literally just have to move your head, taking full advantage of the 360-degree imagery. When the virtual tour includes other elements such as narration, music, or sound effects, it creates the most immersive digital experience one can offer.
However, there are two cons to think about when it comes to VR. The first is that when compared to the other devices, households are far less likely to have a VR; though this is a trend that is set to change over the upcoming years. And second VR may create dizziness and nausea with some users. At AirWorthy Tours we have done live demonstrations of our virtual tours with hundreds of people, and have found about 3% of users came out feeling dizzy.
Despite some of the setbacks it is well worth it to make your virtual tour compatible with VR or just to try it as an individual. The best VR headsets to purchase in order to experience virtual tours are the Meta Quest 3 or the Meta Quest 3s.
Conclusion
We hope this article explains the different experiences each device presents. Virtual tours are just as accessible as photos and videos, meaning there is no need to miss out on this fantastic digital experience.
If you are new to virtual tours, at AirWorthy Tours we provide immersive and in-depth virtual tours of entire cities! Check out our virtual tour library, and get free virtual tour experience when you create a free account with us.