What Apple have to do(hardware wise) to make the iPhone capable of HDvideo recording?

[christall109]

The stars are aligned to point to video recording on the next iPhone along with some iMovie light app. I just want to know if its even possible for Apple to implement HD recording on the next iPhone (iPhone HD?). From a hardware standpoint, I don't see how they can keep the thin form factor of the phone and have it be capable of this. Or am I wrong? Is it even technically feasible to put a video camera with zoom and all in less than a centimeter of space?

I just want to know what you guys think. I have no idea where the technology is right now in the camera realm.

 

[kornyboy]

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Probably a better camera, faster processor, and more memory. I don't expect to see this in the next iteration of the iPhone but Apple has been known to keep a secret.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

Why would you want HD video from a mobile phone? It's still going to be mobile phone quality, just with huge HD files.

 

[michael.lauden]

Why would you want HD video from a mobile phone? It's still going to be mobile phone quality, just with huge HD files.

yeah how about recording VIDEO at all above 20fps.. talk about a bad idea, hd videos from iPhone. if you can take a remotely good picture you'd be lucky haha

 

[Ding.Dong]

Let's hope for decent video period before we start worrying about HD video. I'd be very happy if the new iPhone did good quality SD video.

 

[jarjarblinks]

That will make the iPhone a brick like device. There is a reason why camcorders are that size, for the lenses and whatever rockets they store inside...Last I heard, mobile devices are only able to capture video in VGA quality?

 

[milani]

Why would you want HD video from a mobile phone? It's still going to be mobile phone quality, just with huge HD files.

This thread is the result of corporate branding I'm afraid. The more cool labels you can attach to a device, the more useful or successful it is perceived to be. They should just call the next iPhone the "iPhone Turbo RS HD."

 

[skwoytek]

The Flip MinoHD is smaller than the iPhone in most regards (w: 1.97" vs 2.4", h: 3.94" vs 4.5", d: .64" vs .48").

There's no reason a new iPhone couldn't record HD video as good as or better than the Flip MinoHD. Most of the iPhone internals duplicate the Flip Mino HD's electronics.

To say it'd be a brick or have low quality video is ignoring what already exists in the market.

That will make the iPhone a brick like device. There is a reason why camcorders are that size, for the lenses and whatever rockets they store inside...Last I heard, mobile devices are only able to capture video in VGA quality?

Why would you want HD video from a mobile phone? It's still going to be mobile phone quality, just with huge HD files.

 

[t0mat0]

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/7121840/

Some background info - i'm sure others have more:

A year ago, Apple had several hiring spots for
http://blog.wired.com/cultofmac/2007/01/apples_hiring_i.html
SoC, CMOS, CCD.
In May 2008 Apple had an opening for a Lead Camera Design Engineer for the iPhone. Working from Cupertino, at HQ, studying "present and future CMOS camera technologies with an eye towards implementing it to the iPhone."

Apple was also searching for "an engineer who is an "expert" in image processing techniques such as auto-exposure and auto white balance." and to "bring both capturing and browsing imagery "to the next level," "
Link link link


Maybe the Pure Digital Flip MinoHD is closer to the thickness of the iPhone?

As for lens size, and physical size - check Omnivision, if they're the likely supplier of the sensor. Part of the interesting implementation would be how they fit it in there.
Rapidrepair's tear down here gives a rough idea of the space in there around the sensor for the current iPhone 3G. iFixit for alternate pics.

 

[MadMacxxx]

Why would you want HD video from a mobile phone? It's still going to be mobile phone quality, just with huge HD files.

Like kornyboy said, it would need significant upgrades in hardware....

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Probably a better camera, faster processor, and more memory. I don't expect to see this in the next iteration of the iPhone but Apple has been known to keep a secret.

Precisely

yeah how about recording VIDEO at all above 20fps.. talk about a bad idea, hd videos from iPhone. if you can take a remotely good picture you'd be lucky haha

again, hardware would obviously have to be updated....

Let's hope for decent video period before we start worrying about HD video. I'd be very happy if the new iPhone did good quality SD video.

exactly! Lets be realistic in terms of where we are with technology today or whats cost effective and feasible for apple, so HD wont be happening just yet.

That will make the iPhone a brick like device. There is a reason why camcorders are that size, for the lenses and whatever rockets they store inside...Last I heard, mobile devices are only able to capture video in VGA quality?

For now maybe....then again, who thought we'd have 1080i HD navigation with 3D maping, an 8gb hard drive, connected to the internet in cars (09 bmw idrive...). Or that we would even have features on cell phones like we do now; 15 years ago we would you think that cell phones could browse the internet over wi-fi or at all, or have GPS, or a touch screen?

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

The Flip MinoHD is smaller than the iPhone in most regards (w: 1.97" vs 2.4", h: 3.94" vs 4.5", d: .64" vs .48").

There's no reason a new iPhone couldn't record HD video as good as or better than the Flip MinoHD. Most of the iPhone internals duplicate the Flip Mino HD's electronics.

To say it'd be a brick or have low quality video is ignoring what already exists in the market.

Why would anyone want that? It's just a regular Flip Mino with the image scaled up.

 

[skwoytek]

Why would anyone want that? It's just a regular Flip Mino with the image scaled up.

Where did you hear/read this?

The Flip Mino HD uses a different CMOS chip (1/4.5" HD CMOS Sensor 2.2µm pixels @ 1280x720 vs. 1/4" VGA CMOS sensor 5.6 µm pixels @ 640x480) and a different lens.

Reviews of the Flip Mino HD: MacWorld, CNet, Gizmodo.

There's also the Kodak Zi6 which records in HD.

It's not as if the necessary components can't be searched on the internet. And technology hasn't stood still. These devices were in development a year ago - the tech is now smaller and better 6-9 months later.

 

[firewood]

HD would be pretty useless without a bigger lens. Only so many photons can fit through that tiny pinhole, and they all get diffracted out of focus by the small aperture anyway. Bigger lens can't easily be done without making the phone thicker. There's a reason that pro digital cameras (plus IS zoom lens) are way more than 10 times thicker than an iPhone.

Very unlikely.

i

 

[matttye]

This thread is the result of corporate branding I'm afraid. The more cool labels you can attach to a device, the more useful or successful it is perceived to be. They should just call the next iPhone the "iPhone Turbo RS HD."

I think the marketing tactics come into play by a company marketing something as a HD video recorder when the camera isn't that good. If the camera isn't that good it really doesn't matter what resolution it records at - the video will still suck. The current iPhone camera for example, would record really bad videos at 720p.

 

[kdarling]

I wonder how the HD video looks on the...

Omnia HD

It can do 1280x720 at 24fps.

 

[Matti]

Texas Instrument's OMAP3 mobile platform has GPU that supports 720p. Omnia HD (Samsung's upcoming Symbian phone) uses it.

Here's couple of short videos done with Omnia HD:

http://vimeo.com/3256062
http://vimeo.com/3256042


They are from early pre-production prototype with unfinished software, but quality is allready quite impressive.

 

[milani]

I think the marketing tactics come into play by a company marketing something as a HD video recorder when the camera isn't that good. If the camera isn't that good it really doesn't matter what resolution it records at - the video will still suck. The current iPhone camera for example, would record really bad videos at 720p.

Yes I completely agree with you. Just slap an HD badge on something and it must be good!