iPhone 15 Pro Cameras to Support Spatial Video Later This Year, But Key Questions Remain

[MacRumors]

During Apple's "Wonderlust" event earlier this week, Apple claimed that the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ camera system "pushes the limits of what you can capture with a smartphone." It was a reference to the device's support for "spatial computing video," but the mention was brief and lacking detail.

For those who missed it, spatial video is Apple's name for what is essentially 3D video. The iPhone 15 Pro is able to record spatial videos natively by combining video captured by the sensors of the Main and Ultra Wide cameras, which results in something akin to stereoscopic video.

This 3D video can then be played back using Apple's "spatial computing" Vision Pro headset when it's released early next year, allowing users to relive these memories in a fully immersive way. Apple didn't say, but presumably the iPhone 15 Pro can also capture spatial photo stills using similar camera processing.

Other questions remain that Apple's senior VP of worldwide marketing Greg "Joz" Joswiak didn't answer during his whirlwind tour of the iPhone 15 Pro's new camera capabilities, which include the ability to record 4K ProRes video at 60 frames per second, as well as 5x optical zoom on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

It's not clear for example what kind of unique file format these spatial videos will use, nor did Apple mention how large they will be. Presumably, iPhone 15 Pro users will need to select a special new mode in the Camera app to capture spatial video. How these videos will be saved in the Photos app, and whether they will be playable on the iPhone in any way, is also unknown.

Apple will undoubtedly reveal the answers to these questions soon enough. The ability to shoot spatial video using an iPhone 15 Pro isn't available yet, but it's "coming later this year," according to the company.

Article Link: iPhone 15 Pro Cameras to Support Spatial Video Later This Year, But Key Questions Remain

 

[sack_peak]

Any lngering questions about spatial video will be tackled after the Vision Pro starts shipping to end users.

 

[SpringKid]

I don’t think a unique file format is needed, when 3D-HEVC exists.

Edit: This is most likely what they are using: https://developer.apple.com/av-foundation/HEVC-Stereo-Video-Profile.pdf

 

[Nozuka]

That was a fun part of the presentation. Basically they were talking about something they can't really show us.

 

[Gudi]

Millions of iPhone 15 Pros will support the recording of spatial video even before the Vision Pro goes on sale. I have only one question: Why aren't more people congratulating Tim Cook to this amazing product strategy?

 

[SpringKid]

That was a fun part of the presentation. Basically they were talking about something they can't really show us.

Yeah, and the same problem has existed for VR-games for a long time; it’s very hard to convey the “feeling” of virtual reality on a flat screen.

 

[contacos]

I would honestly be more impressed to be finally able to shoot video with both cameras (front and back) at the same time like Samsung or is there at least a 3rd party app that can do this?

 

[Jarman74]

I also had to dig quite a bit to be fully sure that spatial videos were not an iPhone 15 Pro Max-only feature and that its minor sibling supported it too. Apple could have definitely said more about this.

 

[Kylo83]

Don’t the lenses have to be seperated like on the vision pro like the eye distance, how do they achieve the same with the lenses next to each other

 

[jdavid_rp]

First of all, it’s the first time I see the word “hitherto”.

Second, it would be cool if we could see the 3D videos on the iPhone too, using the parallax effect apple already uses in the springboard

 

[squawk7000]

I would honestly be more impressed to be finally able to shoot video with both cameras (front and back) at the same time like Samsung or is there at least a 3rd party app that can do this?

DoubleTake is a free app by the people behind FilmicPro

lets you shoot on multiple camera, pretty good but is limited to 1080p

 

[jecowa]

Don’t the lenses have to be seperated like on the vision pro like the eye distance, how do they achieve the same with the lenses next to each other

I think this is more than just stereoscopic photography. In the demo, it looked like you could move around and see people from different angles. It would definitely be better if the camera were separated, though, but I'm guessing they can use the two cameras to get textures from both sides of an object and use the depth sensor to make 3D models of objects in the shot.

 

[Le0M]

Since these special videos and photos are obtained thanks to the wide camera and the regular camera, I wonder: why is this feature limited to iPhone Pros?

 

[contacos]

First of all, it’s the first time I see the word “hitherto”.

Second, it would be cool if we could see the 3D videos on the iPhone too, using the parallax effect apple already uses in the springboard

Never heard or read that word either 😅 I was like „hit her too?“ how do you pronounce this? “hither to“?

 

[SpringKid]

Since these special videos and photos are obtained thanks to the wide camera and the regular camera, I wonder: why is this feature limited to iPhone Pros?

Because Apple want you to buy the Pro. 💁🏼‍♂️

 

[SpringKid]

Never heard or read that word either 😅 I was like „hit her too?“ how do you pronounce this? “hither to“?

Yes, hither to. In Swedish we have the corresponding word hittills, ”up until now”.

 

[Nozuka]

Since these special videos and photos are obtained thanks to the wide camera and the regular camera, I wonder: why is this feature limited to iPhone Pros?

The are positioned differently. Doesn't really match our eye positioning.
Of course they could have moved them as well, but they do want you to buy the Pro

 

[jecowa]

Since these special videos and photos are obtained thanks to the wide camera and the regular camera, I wonder: why is this feature limited to iPhone Pros?

I think the non-Pro iPhones could be excluded from taking Spatial Video because the non-Pro iPhones have their cameras arranged diagonally instead of horizontally. It might make it a bit harder to combine the two images.

But also, I think they are doing this to promote the Vision Pro. Apple wants people to justify spending extra for a Pro phone in case they might want Vision Pro later. You might think that they should enable it on all the phones, but the Vision Pro will be very expensive. People who can't afford a Pro iPhone are probably less likely to buy the Vision Pro anyway. And the people who did pay extra for the Pro phone with the thought of maybe buying a Vision Pro now have a bit of sunk cost fallacy to help them justify their Vision Pro purchase.

 

[Wando64]

I missed this as I didn’t actually watch the presentation, but this function alone can be huge, if implemented properly and if the files can be played on any VR headset, such as Quest and the like.
I have been thinking of purchasing a 3D/VR camera but they are quite pricey. It would be great if I could have it on my phone always with me.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

Mistake in the text , file formaNt

 

[Berti10]

When the iPhone 11 Pro was announced, during the keynote they showed that the App Filmic was able to shoot 4K with 2 Lenses in parallel. That was 2019. I do not see, why every pro phone since then shall not get this feature.

Also why is Timelapse still 1080p (since iPhone 6), and SloMo ist still in a crappy Bitrate? Also also why is ist not possible to smoothly transition between lenses when filming 4K60, which is the case since the iPhone 8+/X from 2017?

 

[MrMetro]

They were too busy talking with Mother Nature.

 

[Torty]

deleted

 

[Torty]

Don’t the lenses have to be seperated like on the vision pro like the eye distance, how do they achieve the same with the lenses next to each other

Could be easily done via SW with losing some resolution.

 

[zakarhino]

I think the non-Pro iPhones could be excluded from taking Spatial Video because the non-Pro iPhones have their cameras arranged diagonally instead of horizontally. It might make it a bit harder to combine the two images.

But also, I think they are doing this to promote the Vision Pro. Apple wants people to justify spending extra for a Pro phone in case they might want Vision Pro later. You might think that they should enable it on all the phones, but the Vision Pro will be very expensive. People who can't afford a Pro iPhone are probably less likely to buy the Vision Pro anyway. And the people who did pay extra for the Pro phone with the thought of maybe buying a Vision Pro now have a bit of sunk cost fallacy to help them justify their Vision Pro purchase.

Ah. So the rumor about the base iPhones returning to a iPhone 12 style parallel layout is probably true but for the 16 series because they’ll want all iPhones to be capable of recording Spatial Video for Apple Vision.

I guess that answers the “why” question behind that rumor beyond “aesthetics”