Despite 3D being a massive flop Apple’s next iPhone 8 could have the ability to take 3D photos say observers.
According to sources Apple, who are desperate to find a big new hit product, is currently working with LG to develop the technology with the Korean Company also working on a version for their own smartphones.
The new and yet unseen technology give it the ability to add of extra three-dimensional effects, recognise objects in the real world more easily and use augmented reality.
The camera, which is rumoured to be launching in the iPhone 8 in the latter half of 2017, will be able to capture photos in 3D. Pictured is the dual-lens camera in the iPhone 7.
A 3D camera – sometimes called a stereo camera – is one that can record images that will appear to have three dimensions to them.
3D cameras use two lenses in a similar way to big-budget movies.
The lenses capture two images of the same scene at the same time, one through each lens.
When these two pictures with different perspectives combine, the picture or video captured creates the illusion of depth.
The rumours come from a brief report in the Korea Economic Daily, which suggests that the ‘LG Innotek’ dual-lens camera, will likely be used in Apple’s new products next year.
The report states that sources close to the situation said: ‘Apple is now studying how to apply its 3D camera technology into LG Innotek’s smartphone camera.
‘Since LG Innotek also has its own 3D camera and related technologies, such joint efforts will likely to bear fruit sometime within next year.’
LG Innotek already supplies the dual lens units for the iPhone 7 Plus.
How the iPhone 8’s 3D camera will differ from this remains unclear, but it is likely to offer improved depth of field and the ability to pick out details in the background of photos more easily.
The article also mentions a firm called LinX Imaging, which Apple bought last year.
The firm makes enhanced camera technology, which includes 3D depth mapping, and lighting enhancements, which are also features that could be seen in the next iPhone.
Apple has patented several features in the past for high-end image analysis technology, such as object recognition – although this relies on software rather than hardware.
Given that 2017 will be the 10th anniversary of the iPhone, it would make sense that Apple has something big planned.
