There is some irony in the fact that Google's most innovative app technology to date arrives in the form of cardboard. But it's what adds to its appeal, making it accessible to even the most tech-shy of people.

Google's new Cardboard Camera app lets you take your own virtual reality photographs ready for viewing in the accompanying cardboard VR headset. Anybody who's already taken a panoramic shot with their smartphone will be familiar with the process: you hold down your phone in a vertical position, tap the camera button and move in a circle. Only this time, you capture 360 degrees of your surroundings. A snippet of sound is even recorded for additional sensory experience.

The result when viewed through the cardboard headset is a fully immersive, 360 degree image, which although static manages to convincingly transport you into another scene. The app was conceived by Google product manager Mike Podwal, and was born out of a natural curiosity, "what if we could let absolutely anybody create experiences for VR?" signalling a further shift towards the democratization of technology. You can download Cardboard Camera for Android now.