What the hell happened with that Scaniverse image? Those phones look like Jony Ive slept on the corner radius slider.
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iPhone 17 Camera Redesign Rumors Conflict on Spatial Video Support
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What a pointless article. Pure clickbait. IF Apple did remove Spatial photos and videos from being captured by iPhones, then there’s NO future iteration of Vision Pro. The “experiences” of the Vision Pro are already very limited and to not have Spatial videos and photos to “experience” then what is left? A scant number of apps and “movies”?
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Amen times a thousand on that. But I don't think how lenses are laid out leads to proprietary formats... unless Apple wants to force that for some reason. And then I think some bight video conversion programmer figures out how to convert it if they do.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
I still capture a LOT of high-res video with camcorder camera formats, sometimes through a whopping 2 inch screen and sometimes through a physical viewfinder that is probably actually, maybe 1/2 inch (screen) viewed through an eyepiece magnifier.
So I (too), see no negative in the virtual viewfinder for landscape showing on a portrait-held phone. In all such uses, video shooter is just trying to generally frame what they are trying to capture well. Even at Phone Pro MAX landscape width, the fine details are just not visible. So about 2 inches across vs. about 6 inches in landscape is towards no difference to me in framing/capturing video. I just need to see enough so that I know what I want in the final is generally in frame.
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Being “stuck” kinda sounds negative - do you think there’s something wrong with that layout?
At some point, let’s put those high paid Apple iPhone designers to use.
But according to MacRumors users, that camera layout is the best Apple can come up with.
I said exactly that a few months ago when these rumours first surfaced, however the bigger problem fro Apple is with the current stove design, they can't get bigger sensors in the camera's without encroaching on MagSafe, that's the whole reason for this redesign, I suspect spacial video will be in Portrait mode only
Rumors about Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 series have so far sparked a good deal of discussion regarding a potential redesign of the rear camera module. Leaks suggest the cosmetic changes could be big, but whether they would impact the iPhone camera's existing capabilities is a question for which no-one has yet provided an adequate answer.
The Camera Redesign Rumor Problem
Several rumors suggest that for the iPhone 17 Pro models, Apple may transition from its traditional triangular lens arrangement to a horizontal, elongated bar or strip of lenses, similar to the one used on the Google Pixel 9. However, we've had conflicting information, with at least one source claiming that the iPhone 17 Pro models will retain the existing triangular configuration amidst broader material redesigns of the rear casing.
The major point of concern with adopting a horizontal camera layout is its potential impact on the device's ability to capture spatial video for Apple Vision Pro — a feature currently supported by iPhone 15 Pro devices and all iPhone 16 models.
What Is Spatial Video?
Spatial video is an immersive video format that provides a more three-dimensional experience by capturing content from multiple perspectives. The technology allows viewers wearing Apple Vision Pro to feel as if they're present in the environment being filmed, offering a significant enhancement over traditional 2D video formats.
The shooting mode requires two cameras to record footage simultaneously when the iPhone is held in a landscape orientation, where the horizontal separation between lenses is crucial for them to mimic the distance between human eyes and create depth perception. Unlike standard 3D video that presents a static perspective, spatial video in this way creates six degrees of freedom, so that if the viewer shifts their position, the perspective in the video footage also shifts accordingly.
On iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models, spatial video is achieved by using the vertically aligned main Wide/Fusion and Ultra Wide cameras to capture these differing perspectives. Similarly, Apple adopted a vertical alignment design for the dual-lens rear cameras on the standard iPhone 16 models as a strategic move to allow for spatial video capture.
Logic would therefore seem to dictate that if the iPhone 17 Pro models were to adopt the rumored elongated horizontal bar of lenses, they would no longer be capable of shooting spatial video in landscape orientation – in the process losing a core camera functionality that has been present in their predecessors for two generations. Conversely, were the non-Pro models to retain the vertical alignment of the two lenses currently used in the iPhone 16, spatial capture would become incongruously exclusive to Apple's more affordable flagship device.
On the other hand, if the standard iPhone 17 also adopted the elongated horizontal bar design, then no model in the series would be capable of spatial video. (Rumors suggest the same can already be said for the Plus-replacing "iPhone 17 Air," which allegedly features just a single camera lens).
Would Apple really be prepared to nix its spatial video capability from some, if not all, iPhone 17 models – a feature that it has spent so much research and development (not to mention marketing) in order to bring to iPhones? Many would suggest that none of these scenarios are likely.
Overcoming Spatial Technical Challenges
There is another possibility, however. Recent advancements in computational photography may have opened avenues for creating spatial videos without the existing strict hardware constraints. For example, Gaussian splatting, which was invented less than two years ago, can generate photorealistic 3D models using data from multiple camera angles, even when using non-traditional camera arrangements.
Niantic, a company with close ties to Google, has already been leveraging Gaussian splatting in its Scaniverse app to create photorealistic 3D models. Not only that, Niantic's WebXR app "Into the Scaniverse" for the Meta Quest headset allows users to step inside the splats they have captured in Scaniverse and walk around.
Could Apple be developing something akin to Guassian splatting for video – similar to its visionOS 2 feature that uses advanced machine learning to transform a 2D image into a spatial photo which then comes to life when viewed on Vision Pro?
Of course, whether or not Apple is adopting something similar is anyone's guess at this point. Equally, there's no reason to believe one way or the other that Apple has developed its own, alternative solution that accommodates a "runway" style camera module redesign. The only thing we do know is that we'll learn everything when Apple announces the iPhone 17 series around its usual mid-September time frame.
Article Link: iPhone 17 Camera Redesign Rumors Conflict on Spatial Video Support
The type of engineers u describe are getting fewer and fewer at Apple
if it really does copy the Pixel 7/8/9 series for the camera bar ima laugh once they drop it and all the apple fanboys try to claim pixel copied apple for the camera bar xD and then refuse to accept the pixels have had it for years before.
So sort of hoping for it to have that bar for cameras xD
So sort of hoping for it to have that bar for cameras xD
I would disagree, I think a lot of us shoot video in landscape. I just looked through my videos and I would say half of my videos were landscape, the other half portrait.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Sorry, I just doubt this in the implied spirt of it. Yes, since there are tons of phones in the world, lots of phone captured (and not phone captured) video are viewed on phones. So literally, you can be right but the implication of it can miss the mark.
For example, there's a lot of cinemascope 21:9 video in the can, streamable on Netflix, etc. I would guess huge numbers of that video (not captured on phones) is watched on phones too... but those who captured it, captured it for WIDE screen ultimate targets.
I doubt this too. I would put YouTube toward the top of the "social" media mountain for video. And a great deal of video on YouTube is landscape. Yes, there is some portrait there, but the bulk of it seems to be landscape captured... probably with phones... but intended to be watched in landscape. Yes, I know YouTube is not the only shop in town and I know stuff like TikTok includes lots of selfie video shot in portrait. I'm just not convinced that if all TikTokers understood, they would CHOOSE to keep shooting all video in portrait.
Not because many of them users WANT to capture portrait, it's just how they do it. I find that once users get educated about what shooting in portrait means to the end result ON THEIR TV or laptop/desktop screen, SOME adjust a bad(?) habit and rotate their phone for general captures thereafter.
There are MANY bad phone habits that are commonplace... such as leaving text message conversations open and thus accumulating an endless pile of data hogging stuff that one will probably never go back and watch again... instead of just closing the text... like hanging up a phone after a conversation... and starting a new text conversation next time (freeing up all that storage hogged by forever message streams). Once people are educated about this, they generally learn to do it... and then they free up huge space on their phones. For probably most, that's another bad (phone) habit... though some may have legit rationale for why they CHOOSE to have forever streams of texts open.
In short, I suspect portrait capture is more "bad habit" (but very well established habit) than conscious choice when people want to capture video. Once they become aware- usually when they are frustrated at "skinny" videos on their TV or computer screen- many change this habit. Those that don't either intend to end up with "skinny" videos or haven't been educated on this topic... or just can't break the habit.
IMO: vertical bar would be just as good vs. triangle. For spatial gains, spread the 2 spatial lenses out to average eye width. If Apple would still insert the splash screen so user can understand how to choose the end result layout of video, it would just switch them from a single step of choosing potrait vs. landscape to including a step 2 for the latter: "rotate your phone."
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I'm sure Apple are ahead of us.
MacRumors always makes drama out of this sort of thing and gives the impression things are in a state of flux, when Apple – being good at this kind of stuff – has already considered the situation and taken action accordingly.
One wildcard possibility – Apple are looking to introduce a QuickTake successor and will hand off the spatial video capture to a dedicated Pro device. They are in the process of bolstering their photo apps offer, after all…
MacRumors always makes drama out of this sort of thing and gives the impression things are in a state of flux, when Apple – being good at this kind of stuff – has already considered the situation and taken action accordingly.
One wildcard possibility – Apple are looking to introduce a QuickTake successor and will hand off the spatial video capture to a dedicated Pro device. They are in the process of bolstering their photo apps offer, after all…
Exactly why I tossed out this possibility given the "reception" of AVP
Except landscape video shows you twice as much and is minus the disappointment when you watch back skinny portrait videos
This has been pointed out many times before, but Apple has hundreds of millions of customers and the posters on MacRumors forums aren't remotely close to representative.
What if… Apple designed the phone to give the optimal phone experience rather than hamper its design and let it be driven by/influenced by a niche product that will be dead and buried in a few years time anyway?
The iPhone is global monster, it’s Apple’s biggest and most profitable product, so its design should be based around giving us the best version of the phone.
If it were up to me, we’d get rid of this stupid race to have the “thinnest phone”. You know the marketing lie that measures depth based on the slimmest section rather than the thickest depth i.e. the camera modules. If it were up to me we’d have the camera modules flush with the phone’s body like they used to be and then the extra room in the phones body could be used to increase battery capacity. However, I’m not going to win that battle, so instead let’s just have the bar across the entire width of the phone, rather than a square that means the phone doesn’t sit flat on a table and wobbles when you use it on a flat surface.
The iPhone is global monster, it’s Apple’s biggest and most profitable product, so its design should be based around giving us the best version of the phone.
If it were up to me, we’d get rid of this stupid race to have the “thinnest phone”. You know the marketing lie that measures depth based on the slimmest section rather than the thickest depth i.e. the camera modules. If it were up to me we’d have the camera modules flush with the phone’s body like they used to be and then the extra room in the phones body could be used to increase battery capacity. However, I’m not going to win that battle, so instead let’s just have the bar across the entire width of the phone, rather than a square that means the phone doesn’t sit flat on a table and wobbles when you use it on a flat surface.
What is happening with the corner radius on these comps? It's hurting my brain.
There’s enough resolution in the cameras that even if you hold it vertically it can still record a horizontal video in 4K 
I have an app called Horizon that does that very thing.
I have an app called Horizon that does that very thing.
What? 95% of my videos are taken in landscape.