[nbody]

Installing such app almost certainly implies that the user is aware of the problem of vertical videos. So being aware of it, they will simply rotate the device when recording (since it provides better quality/resolution).

It seems to me that it would be helpful if such idea is applied on the system level without the need for an app.

[ctdonath]

Horizon isn't just about vertical vs horizontal video, it's about either being skewed to a diagonal. Consider how many videos (whichever general orientation) wobble 5-20 degrees off axis; that's what Horizon solves.

Compare those professional "unsteady cam" shots where there's lots of horizontal & vertical movement, but never any tilt.

[makmanalp]

This is great! I'm very surprised that it isn't anywhere on the site. Instead the focus seems to be on horizontal photos, which seems ridiculous since anyone can flip their phone sideways.

[wmeredith]

Now this is a feature I would pay for. I think marketing it as fixing vertical video may be a miss, but marketing it as steady cam for your phone is killer.

[petrakeas]

This argument makes sense. However, it is more comfortable to hold the phone vertically even if you are aware of the Vertical Video problem. So, Horizon helps in these cases as well.

And even if you do hold it horizontally, you won't manage to shoot a perfectly aligned shot easily by yourself. For example, if you try to get a shot of a sunset.

[AVTizzle]

This. I am completely aware of the problem of vertical videos, but constantly take them out of wrist/grip convenience.

I'm baffled as to why iPhone/Android doesn't offer a feature that allows you to toggle horizontal video from a vertical phone. I feel like that'd make 50% of smartphone videos infinitely more watchable.

[hrktb]

Having a square sensor or a sensor rotating physically is a big tradeoff in cost or complexity. Until now no one cared to make these tradeoffs for large scale selling cameras, and the few attempts to fill the niche didn't seem to be so successful. I think in the photo world it's the same niche level as for true B&W sensors.

[famousactress]

I hate vertical video and still end up taking quite a bit of it because the ergonomics of phones really encourage it for one-hand operation. Taking video horizontally with one hand on an iPhone is definitely not comfortable.

[vanderZwan]

It allows you to easily zoom while filming.

[cstrat]

You already can zoom while filming, two finger gesture (reverse pinch) to zoom.

[vanderZwan]

Which requires you to touch the screen, causing unwanted motion during filming.