Matterport releases Axis, a hands-free motorized smartphone mount

Imaging data company Matterport, best known for its interactive 3D home tours, announced last week the release of a hands-free motorized smartphone mount.

The new device, called Axis, is intended to improve ease of use and scan consistency when paired with the company’s mobile app, Matterport Capture.

In an email to Inman, Matterport said “74 percent of agents using Matterport win more listings and 71 percent of buyers would purchase a property sight-unseen if there was a 3D tour available online.”

Housing for the device connects directly to a tripod, which use a vertical truss to embrace the user’s phone. The mechanism pivots incrementally until what the company calls a “3D twin” is captured on the app. Matterport Axis requires a single button to operate.

The mechanical rotation solves the issue of mistakes from manual capture and improper tripod mounts, which often hamper final output quality of Matterport presentations.

In addition to using the device to better listing marketing and immersive online tours, real estate agents can use it to promote short-term rentals, multi-family communities and commercial properties, such as warehouses, retail and office space.

Rich visual media and image metadata (information within pictures) are increasing in value throughout the industry. Once considered a unique marketing advantage, online walk-through experiences became expected upon the onset of COVID-19 shutdowns and in-person business limitations.

Countless digital tour companies emerged in the past two years to help agents in that endeavor, many offering suitable alternatives to Matterport’s standard-bearing solution.

The Matterport Axis offers agents an alternative to similar hardware and software marriages, such as iGuide’s Planix, the DJI OM5 and Peek.

Japjit Tulsi, chief technology officer of Matterport, said in the press release that his company has made 3D tour technology accessible to “billions of Android and iOS users.”

“Combined with Matterport Axis, we’ve made it even simpler for individuals, small businesses, and large multi-property enterprises to quickly and reliably scale the digitization of their properties at an affordable price,” he said.

Axis’ sub-$100 price point and ease of use can establish consistency in 3D tour production and end-product quality when used across multiple offices or in team settings, provided camera quality is aligned. In much the same way real estate companies regulate logo, brand and language usage, Matterport can now provide a method by which companies standardize 3D tour content.

Axis will become available the first of April, Matterport said. Early adopters can buy the new device for $59 until then.

Email Craig Rowe