Last month, Apple finally unveiled the iPhone 12 series, including the specifications of all devices. The so-called LiDAR scanner is placed on the back of all new Pro phones, in the area where the camera lenses and flash can also be found. What can this scanner actually do?
LiDAR stands for Light Detection and Ranging and can already be found on the iPad Pro, which came out this year, but is also coming to the iPhone 12 Pro and the Pro Max. The sensor uses small invisible lasers to determine distance and depth. The technology is currently used, especially in self-driving cars, to recognize walkers or cyclists, and many robot vacuum cleaners are also equipped with LiDAR technology.
In recent years, a lot of work has been done on the technology, which has become smaller, cheaper and more accurate and, partly because of this, has made its appearance on a few phones and tablets.
Especially for augmented reality (AR), the sensor will play a major role and to a lesser extent also for the photos you take.
Augmented reality
However, it remains to be seen what exactly the LiDAR scanner will mean for the iPhone 12 Pro, but based on the possibilities of the iPad Pro released this year, we have some ideas about how the new smartphone will use the LiDAR sensor. can use.
For example, the sensor will probably be used in the first instance for AR gaming and AR shopping. Apple already showed some specific LiDAR applications that we can expect later this year, including the game Hot Lava. In this game you turn your own living room into a playing field full of lava. It goes without saying that there will be many more games for your iPhone that make smart use of the sensor.
The sensor also appears to be useful for overhauling your interior. For example, in the IKEA app you can place various digital furniture in your own living room, so that you can see exactly how that new sofa will eventually fit into the room. With the new advanced Studio Mode you can now also furnish your entire house.
Limited options
Furthermore, the possibilities of LiDAR for consumers are still limited. Of course there are still the apps from Apple itself, such as the Measure app that uses the sensor to measure even more accurately, but the ball is now actually with developers to get started with the new technology.
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