What you need to know
- Sketch 360 is available again for the Surface Duo.
- The app initially launched in September before being pulled temporarily.
- You can download Sketch 360 at Google Play (opens in new tab) now.
Sketch 360, a Microsoft Garage app that originally launched on Windows 10, is once again available and optimized for Surface Duo. The app originally launched for Surface Duo in September, but it appeared to only be available for limited testing. Microsoft announced its release today, alongside a behind-the-scenes look at how it came together.
Sketch 360 is the creation of Michael Scherotter, a principal program manager at Microsoft. The app allows you to quickly and easily draw ideas you have for 3D spaces. It then projects the drawings against the inside of a sphere, with you at the center.
Sketch 360, a @MSFTGarage project is now available on @Surface Duo! Read how the Windows app came to life on two screens in Android @surfaceduodev #opensource
Try it out https://t.co/88uEa1ELXl
For developers https://t.co/fHc8EL1Ikb
Origin story https://t.co/cgMd0uJdR6#Duo #VR pic.twitter.com/CpEjnLjdRpSketch 360, a @MSFTGarage project is now available on @Surface Duo! Read how the Windows app came to life on two screens in Android @surfaceduodev #opensource
Try it out https://t.co/88uEa1ELXl
For developers https://t.co/fHc8EL1Ikb
Origin story https://t.co/cgMd0uJdR6#Duo #VR pic.twitter.com/CpEjnLjdRp— The Microsoft Garage (@MSFTGarage) November 12, 2020November 12, 2020
"I was up for the challenge of moving my native C# UWP app to a C# Xamarin Forms. When the Microsoft Garage sponsored an internal hackathon to encourage employees to build or adapt apps for the Surface Duo, I jumped at the chance," Scherotter said in a blog post (opens in new tab) from Microsoft. Scherotter's app was selected as one of the hackathon winners, all of whome then shared their work with "experts and leaders of the Surface business," Microsoft says.
Sketch 360 is especially handy for VR designers, game designers, architects, and the like. It allows creatives to quickly get a look at how their ideas will look in real space. It also allows exports to Facebook, Adobe Lightroom, Kuula, and VR Media Player.
Developers who are interested in learning how Sketch 360 was adapted for Surface Duo can check out a deep dive at Microsoft's Dev blog (opens in new tab). If you want to give the app a spin for yourself, it's available at Google Play (opens in new tab) now. Finally, for more Duo apps, check out our running list of Surface Duo optimized apps.
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Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the Editor in Chief for Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl. Got a hot tip? Send it to daniel.thorp-lancaster@futurenet.com.
