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iPhone 17 Camera Redesign Rumors Conflict on Spatial Video Support
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And I suspect that iPhones with a horizontal camera arrangement across their top rear edge will still be able to shoot 2D video when the phone is held in landscape mode, with the larger virtual viewfinder we've become accustomed to, so that basic feature will still be with us.
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That's one of the designs you get when you ask ChatGPT to draw a current smartphone.
I still think Apple should aim for the true average IPD of about 63mm by moving the left and right camera lenses outward as close as possible to the two rear edges/upper corners of the iPhone. Better true stereo depth without requiring software interpolation.
isn't swiping down on your phone screen exactly what you do to go to the top of the view?
scrolling used to be with a mouse on scroll bars, so it made sense reversed: you move the scroll bar/the actual window around the content up/down. Nowadays the windows are mostly gone and almost nobody uses the scroll bars anymore, receded to make way for content and we move the content up and down, therefor "natural" scrolling.
Calling it now: they won’t change a thing design wise with 17 pro and will try to sell it to us like it is a fresh new device lol
God I hopeWhat if... behind the scenes and with future plans...
Apple is backing away from Spatial Video and VisionOS and VisionPro?
just saying ... it is possible
Would Apple really copy the Google Pixel aesthetic though? I can't see that happening personally and would be quite shocked if they did that.
these both look awful, but the first one is marginally better. hopefully these are wrong!
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
I don't believe this is true. There aren't six degrees of freedom. Spatial video is stereo video, with two images. On the AVP one image is shown to one eye and the other image is shown to the other. You can't move your head up and down to peek over something that's in the foreground. You can't even move your head side to side and change the perspective.
What the AVP does is show the stereo video (or photo) in a fuzzy frame, and it's cropped a little bit on all four sides. When you shift your head's position it shifts the visible portion of the image. It's an illusion. A very effective illusion.
While it’s possible Apple is backing away from AVP (although as you know, I think that’s extremely unlikely), given the iPhone 17s design was likely finalized before AVP released, rearranged cameras on the 17 is almost certainly a not a sign of it.
I honestly hope they are doing a major plan change and emphasizing getting something out the door that's awesome for content viewing & macOS monitor usage at a far more palatable price point
I'd love something like that, but not for more than about $1500 MSRP
I think 3D videos in portrait orientation are of little value because our view field is landscape, so these videos would not be immersive.
Now, if the sensors are square instead of rectangle, it’s possible to just crop the video to the desired orientation, either what recording or when playing.
Another solution would be to use the current rectangular sensors rotated 90° to record landscape video with the phone hold vertically, and crop the video if a vertical video is wanted. The loss in definition is not important for videos that will be watched only on smartphones anyway.
I just hope that a majority of people “holding it wrong” won’t ruin the experience and quality for people who care…
Even after all these years I still can’t believe people shoot videos in portrait and always pan back and forth to show the action that would fit in a normal landscape orientation without panning. 😞
Now, if the sensors are square instead of rectangle, it’s possible to just crop the video to the desired orientation, either what recording or when playing.
Another solution would be to use the current rectangular sensors rotated 90° to record landscape video with the phone hold vertically, and crop the video if a vertical video is wanted. The loss in definition is not important for videos that will be watched only on smartphones anyway.
I just hope that a majority of people “holding it wrong” won’t ruin the experience and quality for people who care…
Even after all these years I still can’t believe people shoot videos in portrait and always pan back and forth to show the action that would fit in a normal landscape orientation without panning. 😞