What's Apple's Next Big iPhone Camera Trick? Vision Pro May Offer A Clue

The new Vision Pro is Apple Inc.'s AAPL boldest bet in the last few years, and yet it has become the subject of memes thanks to the company's demo during the launch. While some might find it creepy, the Vision Pro could indicate what to expect from future iPhones.

What Happened: Apple took a bold bet on virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) by launching its first 3D camera, the Vision Pro, at its WWDC 2023 event. While VR and AR are yet to take off, Apple could give it the push it needs with iPhones.

See Also: Apple Vision Pro: The Headset That Leaves A Mark On You… Literally!

Not A New Concept

The concept of 3D photography and AR/VR headsets has been introduced previously. In fact, companies like HTC and LG launched smartphones with 3D cameras in 2011, but 3D photography failed to take off. HTC also launched its Vive VR headset, while the Meta Platforms Inc.-owned META Oculus is another well-known name in this category.

With that said Apple putting its weight behind AR and VR with the launch of Vision Pro could finally give the technology the push it needs. Despite the comical demo at launch, Apple could have a cohesive plan to make the technology successful.

The first signs were in the iPhone 12 Pro's LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) capabilities, allowing users to measure distances or try out furniture virtually at home.

3D Photography, The Next Big iPhone Camera Trick

Now with the Vision Pro headset out, future iPhones could sport 3D cameras to let users create memories and other content to feed into the headset.

While the iPhone 15 series, expected to launch in September, could be too soon for the company to implement spatial and 3D photography, the iPhone 16 could give Apple enough time to bring it into the mainstream.

Apple is also rumored to bump up all the iPhone 15 models to a higher resolution 48MP primary camera, underlining that camera improvements will be the next area of focus for the company.

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