Apple Debuts Live Photos API for Web Playback
Apple has today unveiled its Live Photos API that would allow developers to incorporate the animated photos into web content, for the first time since its introduction.
The feature would be available on macOS and the three supported browsers for now are Apple's native Safari, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox. Essentially, it is a JavaScript API that would be presented in a DOM, and users may control it through player controls in the UI or through the elements present in the API for controls. All the developers need to do in order to attach Live Photos content to a webpage is to embed the LivePhotosKit JavaScript and enable JavaScript strict mode. After which, the animated photos file will be uploaded on the webpage as a .MOV or .JPG file, and users on macOS or Windows versions of Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer 11, or Edge will be able to view the content.
Live Photos were introduced in 2015 alongside iPhone 6S, initially as an exclusive feature, that allows the user to capture the 1.5 seconds footage before and after the shutter button is pressed while taking the photo. It consists of a series of photos taken by the software, all of which are then knit together to form a cohesive, animated clip. It was only when iPhone SE was launched last year in March that its exclusivity with the iPhone 6S came to an end, but 3D Touch remained with the 2015 flagship still.
Apart from owning iPhone 6S or later, iOS 9 and all versions of the operating system that were released are also required for supporting Live Photos on the iOS devices. In other iOS related news, the next major update is slated for release this summer at the 28th annual Worldwide Developers Conference, to be held from June 5 to June 9 in San Jose, California.
Apple, Live Photos, Live Photos API, Live Photos on macOS, Live Photos on Web, Live Photos on Web Browsers
Danial Ali
Danial is a seasoned contributor that takes a particular interest in all things Apple since he jumped aboard the iPhone ecosystem. Hobbies: Gaming and reading
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