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Cycloramic

Cycloramic is a mobile application originally developed for iOS and Windows Phone devices that allows users to capture hands-free 360-degree panoramic photographs by leveraging the smartphone's vibration motor to automatically rotate the device on a flat surface.^[1]^[2] Invented by French entrepreneur Bruno François in 2011 after he left his family's business, the app quickly gained traction following an endorsement from Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, propelling it to the number one spot on the iTunes App Store.^[1] Initially priced at $0.99, Cycloramic outperformed Apple's built-in 240-degree panorama feature by enabling full 360-degree captures without manual handling, and it amassed over 660,000 downloads and $175,000 in sales before its national television exposure.^[1]^[2] In January 2014, François pitched Cycloramic on the ABC reality series Shark Tank, seeking $90,000 for 5% equity in the company, which he ultimately secured as a $500,000 investment for 15% from Mark Cuban and Lori Greiner.^[1]^[2] The episode's airing led to explosive growth, with the app reaching over 20 million downloads and generating $1.5 million in sales, far exceeding François's initial $1 million target.^[1]^[3] However, by late 2014, sales declined due to iPhone hardware changes that hindered the vibration-based spinning mechanism, prompting François to pivot the company toward new ventures.^[1] In response, François developed Selfie360, an app converting selfies into animated GIFs, before launching Car360 in 2015—a B2B tool for creating 360-degree vehicle images to enhance online car sales.^[1]^[2]^[4] Car360 proved highly successful, leading to its acquisition by Carvana in 2018 for $22 million, after which François joined the company as head of research and development.^[1]^[3] Although the original Cycloramic app is no longer actively maintained or widely available as of 2025, its innovative approach to mobile photography left a lasting impact on hands-free imaging technology.^[1]^[2]

History

Development and Launch

Cycloramic was developed by Bruno François starting in 2011 after leaving his family's business, and founded under Egos Ventures Inc., based in Atlanta, Georgia.^[5]^[1] The company operated as part of Georgia's burgeoning tech ecosystem, with offices at the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) in Atlanta, a state-funded incubator supporting technology startups.^[6] François, drawing on his background in mobile applications, created the app to address limitations in traditional panoramic photography by enabling automated, hands-free capture.^[4] The initial development focused on the iPhone 5's built-in hardware, specifically utilizing its gyroscope, accelerometer, compass, and vibrator to achieve self-rotation and precise image stitching without manual intervention.^[7]^[8] This innovative approach allowed the device to spin 360 degrees on a flat surface while recording video or photos, leveraging the vibrator motor for propulsion and the sensors for orientation and stabilization.^[9] The app was optimized for iOS 6.0 and later versions, targeting users of the newly released iPhone 5.^[9] Cycloramic launched on the Apple App Store on December 20, 2012, priced at 99 cents.^[9] Early marketing emphasized its novelty as a "party trick" for effortless panoramas, leading to a swift App Store rollout and viral buzz through tech media coverage.^[4] The launch saw an immediate surge, establishing it as one of the platform's early breakout hits. This rapid adoption highlighted the app's appeal in simplifying 360-degree imaging for casual users.

Early Growth and Recognition

Following its launch in December 2012 as an iOS-exclusive app, Cycloramic quickly achieved significant initial popularity. This rapid uptake highlighted the app's appeal for its innovative hands-free 360-degree panorama capture, leveraging the iPhone's built-in vibration motor to rotate the device automatically. A key boost to its early visibility came from an endorsement by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, who, just one week after launch, shared a 360-degree video of his kitchen captured using the app on Facebook.^[10] Wozniak described Cycloramic as "unexpected, fanciful, and useful all at the same time," and the post, along with subsequent media coverage, propelled the app into the spotlight, contributing to its status as one of the App Store's top-downloaded applications in late 2012.^[11] Further recognition arrived in the form of the 2012 Pogie Award from New York Times technology columnist David Pogue, who praised Cycloramic as a fresh idea in mobile apps for enabling seamless panoramic video without manual rotation.^[12] The award underscored the app's ingenuity shortly after debut. In 2013, Egos Ventures, the startup behind Cycloramic, was named one of Georgia's Top 10 Innovative Companies and featured the app at the Georgia Technology Summit on March 20, showcasing its technological contributions to mobile imaging.^[13]

Features and Technology

Core Mechanism

Cycloramic enables hands-free panoramic capture by leveraging the iPhone's built-in hardware, including its vibration motor and motion sensors, to automate the rotation and imaging process. The app utilizes the eccentric rotating mass (ERM) vibration motor, positioned in the top-left corner of the iPhone 5 with a horizontal shaft, to generate centrifugal forces that spin the device on a smooth, flat surface. When activated, the motor rotates anti-clockwise, producing a vertical force that lifts the phone slightly to reduce friction and a horizontal force that propels the left side forward, initiating and sustaining a controlled 360-degree rotation. This mechanism is optimized for the iPhone 5, 5s, and SE, as earlier models like the iPhone 4S employ a linear resonant actuator (LRA) motor incapable of generating the necessary vertical lift for spinning. Later iPhone models use different vibration motors incompatible with the spinning function.^[8] During rotation, Cycloramic employs the iPhone's gyroscope to measure angular velocity and track rotation rate, the accelerometer to monitor balance and detect surface stability, and the compass (magnetometer) to determine orientation and ensure a complete 360-degree sweep. The app prompts the user to place the phone face-up on a level, non-porous surface, such as glass or a table, before initiating the spin; it then captures a continuous stream of images or video frames synchronized with the motion data from these sensors. This sensor fusion allows precise timing for exposure, preventing blur and ensuring even coverage without manual panning. The process supports both 180-degree and full 360-degree modes, with the 180-degree option completing in under five seconds on the iPhone 5s for rapid captures.^[8]^[14] Captured frames are automatically stitched into a high-resolution panoramic image using algorithmic processing, resulting in outputs up to 42 megapixels in later compatible versions. Users can further convert these static panoramas into seamless 24-second high-definition video loops, simulating a continuous orbital view of the scene. This integration of hardware-driven rotation and sensor-guided capture distinguishes Cycloramic's core functionality, providing distortion-free results that traditional handheld panoramas often struggle to achieve.^[14]^[15]

Software Updates and Capabilities

Version 3.0 of Cycloramic, released in June 2013, introduced significant enhancements including an in-app photo library optimized for panoramic images, allowing users to organize and access their captures directly within the app. This update also added comprehensive editing tools that enable modifications to the original 14 source images used to create each panorama, such as cropping, rotating, adjusting brightness, contrast, saturation, warmth, sharpening, blurring, drawing, and adding text. Additionally, social sharing options were integrated, supporting direct exports to platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, along with email and text messaging.^[16] Prior to version 3.0, the 2.1 update enabled panorama-to-video conversion, allowing users to transform any panoramic photo—including those captured with other apps—into high-definition video clips up to 24 seconds long. This feature supported various resolutions, from 240p to 1080p, enhancing the app's versatility for dynamic content creation.^[15]^[17] In December 2014, Cycloramic expanded to Windows Phone 8.1 and later versions, offering a guided manual mode for panorama capture by adjusting for differences in the platform's gyroscope and other sensors. This port did not include the iOS version's hands-free vibration-based rotation due to hardware incompatibilities but provided seamless performance for user-guided imaging.^[18] Subsequent stable releases emphasized usability improvements, including refined stitching algorithms that minimize distortions and produce smoother, more accurate panoramic outputs by better aligning overlapping images from the device's sensors. These enhancements focused on reducing artifacts in high-motion captures and improving overall image quality without altering the foundational spinning technique.^[15]

Business Trajectory

Founding and Pre-Shark Tank

Egos Ventures Inc. was founded in 2011 by Bruno François in Atlanta, Georgia, marking his entry into the mobile app development space after leaving his role as president of the family-owned Francois & Co., a home products business. With a background in mechanical engineering and a master's in computer science from the University of Central Florida, François personally invested $150,000 from his savings and 401(k) to establish the company, which focused on innovative applications leveraging device hardware. No external funding or venture capital was sought or received at this stage.^[4] Cycloramic, the company's flagship iOS app, launched in December 2012 at a price of $0.99 per download. By summer 2013, it had garnered around 600,000 downloads, producing revenue that covered operational costs and enabled profitability without reliance on major outside investment. This self-sustaining model stemmed from the app's initial sales success on the App Store, where Apple retained a standard 30% cut, leaving Egos Ventures with net proceeds sufficient to fund further development for at least another year.^[4]^[10] Growth was driven by organic marketing strategies, including App Store promotions and endorsements from influential figures such as Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, who demonstrated the app in a widely shared video. Media coverage from outlets like TechCrunch amplified visibility, while recognition as one of The New York Times' brightest ideas of 2012 via the Pogie Award boosted credibility. Egos Ventures also presented at local tech events, such as the Atlanta Startup Village in 2013, to network and showcase the product without paid advertising or venture backing.^[10]^[12]^[6] Seeking to accelerate expansion beyond iOS, François applied to Shark Tank in early 2013, with the episode filmed that summer and aired in February 2014; the pitch targeted funding for Android platform development and intensified marketing to capitalize on the app's early momentum of over 600,000 downloads.^[4]

Shark Tank Appearance and Deal

Cycloramic appeared on the ABC reality television series Shark Tank in season 5, episode 16, which aired on January 31, 2014.^[19] Founder Bruno François pitched the app, seeking $90,000 in exchange for 5% equity in his company.^[20] During the presentation, François demonstrated the app's core feature by placing an iPhone on its edge, activating Cycloramic to use the device's vibration motor and gyroscope to create a hands-free 360-degree panoramic image through automated spinning.^[21] He highlighted the app's traction with over 660,000 downloads to date and emphasized its untapped potential for expansion to the Android platform, where similar functionality could reach a broader user base.^[22]^[23] All five sharks—Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, Daymond John, Kevin O'Leary, and guest shark Steve Tisch—expressed interest in the pitch, impressed by the app's innovative mechanics and reported sales of $660,000 prior to the episode.^[23] Negotiations quickly escalated into a bidding war, with counteroffers including royalty structures; for instance, O'Leary proposed terms requiring an immediate decision and included ongoing royalties per unit sold.^[24] Cuban initially offered $1 million for 30% equity, but François countered to secure a partnership that aligned with his vision for growth. Ultimately, Cuban and Greiner teamed up to close the deal, investing $500,000 for 15% equity to support further development and marketing efforts.^[4] The episode's airing provided an immediate boost to Cycloramic's visibility, propelling it to the top of the iOS App Store rankings and resulting in approximately 100,000 new paid downloads within the first hour, generating around $200,000 in revenue during that period alone.^[25] This "Shark Tank effect" underscored the pitch's success in capturing public attention and driving short-term user adoption.^[20]

Post-Investment Developments

Expansion and User Adoption

Following the $500,000 investment from Mark Cuban and Lori Greiner for 15% equity, Cycloramic experienced significant download growth, reaching 8 million total downloads in the days following the Shark Tank episode's airing in 2014, largely fueled by the heightened visibility from the episode and subsequent marketing initiatives.^[4] The app ultimately achieved over 20 million downloads overall.^[1] In the immediate aftermath of the January 2014 airing, the app surged to over 100,000 downloads within the first hour alone, propelling it to the top of the App Store charts and demonstrating the investment's role in amplifying exposure.^[26] The company pursued platform expansions beyond its initial iOS base to broaden accessibility, including sustained support for Windows Phone devices starting in early 2015, where it was offered as a free app with in-app upgrades, though compatibility was limited on older models due to gyroscope hardware requirements.^[27] Efforts to port the app to Android were also undertaken around 2017, providing a guided mode for panoramic photos on Google Play, but adoption remained limited owing to variances in Android device hardware, such as inconsistent vibration motors and sensors, which hindered the hands-free spinning functionality central to the app's appeal. Revenue scaled notably post-investment, rising from approximately $175,000 in pre-Shark Tank sales to over $1.5 million by the end of 2014 through a combination of paid app downloads at $1.99 and in-app purchases for premium features like video exports.^[3] The infusion of capital enabled broader advertising campaigns across digital channels, which sustained user acquisition and contributed to the app's commercial momentum during this period.^[22] Cycloramic gained popularity among professional photographers seeking efficient 360-degree capture tools and casual users drawn to its innovative hands-free mechanism, which eliminated the need for manual panning or tripods, making panoramic photography more accessible for everyday scenarios like travel and events.^[21]

Acquisition and Current Status

In April 2018, Car360, the company behind the Cycloramic app, was acquired by Carvana, an online used-car retailer, for approximately $22 million.^[28] This deal included $6.7 million in cash upfront, with the remainder contingent on performance milestones.^[29] The acquisition aligned with Carvana's need to enhance its vehicle imaging technology, particularly for creating immersive 360-degree photos and videos to showcase cars on its platform, leveraging Cycloramic's core panoramic capture mechanisms.^[30] Founder Bruno François, who had scaled the app to significant success post-Shark Tank, transitioned to Carvana as Director of Research and Development, marking his exit from independent operations.^[1] Following the acquisition, the standalone Cycloramic app was delisted from the Apple App Store and other platforms, with its technology integrated into Carvana's proprietary imaging systems for automotive applications.^[2] As of November 2025, Cycloramic is no longer available as a consumer-facing app, having become obsolete due to compatibility issues with modern smartphone designs lacking flat edges for self-rotation.^[31] Its legacy persists in influencing panoramic imaging innovations, though it receives no active support or updates.^[1]

Reception and Criticism

Positive Reviews and Awards

Upon its release in late 2012, Cycloramic received acclaim from major media outlets for its innovative use of smartphone sensors to enable hands-free panoramic imaging, making 360-degree photography accessible to everyday users without specialized equipment. ABC News named it "App of the Week" in December 2012, highlighting the app's ability to autonomously spin the iPhone via vibration for seamless video capture on any flat surface, and praising its simplicity in setup and operation as a fun, novel tool for social events.^[32] The New York Times awarded it a Pogie Award as one of the brightest ideas in technology for 2012, commending its fresh approach to panoramic photos and videos by leveraging the device's built-in vibration motor to rotate the phone effortlessly.^[12] Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak publicly endorsed Cycloramic shortly after launch, describing it as "unexpected, fanciful, and useful all at the same time" for its creative integration of iPhone hardware to produce hands-free 360-degree content, and he demonstrated its capabilities by using it to create a virtual tour of his kitchen.^[10] This endorsement amplified the app's visibility among tech enthusiasts, positioning it as a game-changer in mobile imaging. Following its appearance on Shark Tank in January 2014, where all investors showed strong interest in its unique technology, Cycloramic garnered further recognition in tech innovation discussions for democratizing 360-degree photography by simplifying the process for non-professionals. Reviews from outlets like Windows Central lauded its ease of use in capturing high-quality panoramas on Windows Phone, noting the intuitive interface that required minimal user intervention.^[27] Entrepreneur magazine highlighted the app's post-show surge in popularity, attributing it to the innovative haptic feedback mechanism that made panoramic creation engaging and accessible.^[22] User testimonials consistently emphasized the app's simplicity and fun factor, with many praising how it transformed routine photo-taking into an entertaining experience by automating the rotation and stitching process.^[27] Cycloramic's approach influenced subsequent mobile apps in the panoramic space and was cited in analyses of smartphone sensor evolution, underscoring its role in advancing consumer-friendly imaging technologies.^[10]

Controversies and User Complaints

Following the release of version 2.0, Cycloramic introduced in-app purchases that effectively disabled access to certain features previously available in the paid version 1.0, prompting significant user frustration and demands for refunds from those who had already purchased the original app.^[33] Users reported usability limitations, particularly with the app's incompatibility with newer iPhones like the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, where the device's rounded edges prevented stable spinning during hands-free panorama capture, leading to frequent failures.^[34]^[35] Post-Shark Tank, some reviews criticized the app for overhyping its capabilities, with users noting persistent stitching glitches in low-light conditions that resulted in distorted or incomplete panoramas.^[31] Developers responded with updates, such as adapting the spinning mechanism to use the iPhone's charger as a base for the iPhone 6, though persistent hardware dependency issues contributed to declining user satisfaction, leading the company to pivot toward new ventures including Car360, which was acquired by Carvana in 2018.^[34]

References

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What Happened To The Cycloramic App From Shark Tank Season 5?
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Cycloramic app spins iPhone 5 to take 360-degree video
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The Cycloramic App uses the vibration motor in the iPhone 5 to rotate the phone whilst recording video. It also helps explain the direction of vibration forces.
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The easiest, fastest panorama taking app. Just follow the guided system to take the perfect panorama photo every time. Now with HD resolution up to 42MP.
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you get a choice of ...