The iPhone 7 is being universally celebrated for having one of the best smartphone cameras available on the market. But if rumours are to believed, Apple is already planning innovations for the camera of the next model they’ll produce.
A camera which may have three dimensional capability.
/apple
A source for the Korean Economic Daily reports that LG Innotek has formed a partnership with Apple, to cooperate in the development of a new dual camera module. This module, which should allow 3D photography on the device it is connected to, may be available in products from as soon as Q3 2017.
This potential collaboration sounds feasible as Apple and LG Innotek already have an existing relationship. They recently worked together in creating the dual-camera system for the iPhone 7 plus model. The iPhone7 already has basic 3D-like mapping properties used in its portrait mode. Expanding this out into full 3D and potentially augmented reality experimentation would be an amazing but anticipated step forward for Apple.
The Korean Economic Daily quotes its source as saying, ”Apple is now studying how to apply its 3D camera technology into LG Innotek’s smartphone camera. ” They added, “Since LG Innotek also has its own 3D camera and related technologies, such joint efforts will likely to bear fruit sometime within next year. ”
This move would not be the first that Apple has recently made into 3D advances for their onboard cameras. In April 2015, it bought out and absorbed LinX, an Israeli start-up with an intriguing 3D camera technology research team for US$20 million. In addition to their work on the iPhone 7 Plus, LG Innotek have previously released 3D camera tech under the larger LG Electronics banner in the form of 2011’s Optimus 3D smartphone.
For many, the iPhone 7’s portrait mode was and will be a clincher for camera savvy consumers choosing their next smartphone. It is understandable that Apple will want to stay ahead of the curve for their next product. The question is whether 3D and augmented reality is the way to go or a passing fad well on the way out.
. digitalrev.com2016-11-29 03:00
