Apple, according to a report by Bloomberg, is looking to include a rear-facing laser-based 3D sensor in its 2019 model of iPhone. This 3D sensor is expected to further enhance the AR experience on iOS running devices.
Apple recently unveiled the improved AR experience with its latest A11 bionic chips. This new sensor could further refine the AR experience by providing more accurate depth information about the surrounding environment and objects.
How will it work?
The proposed system is expected to work by firing lasers in the direction of the objects and then calculating the depth by measuring the amount of time it takes for the laser to travel back to the sensor. This information will then be used to map an accurate 3D model of the environment and objects placed in front of the sensor.
Apple does something similar using Infrared rays in its FaceID system on the iPhone X. Apple dubs that system TrueDepth and it works pretty well by measuring different facial features by using both depth and object shape. Some amount of depth information is also collected and used through the dual cameras in iPhone X and 8 plus models. However, this new 3D sensor is expected to be much more accurate while creating a 3D model of surroundings.
When to expect this new sensor in iPhones? According to reports, Apple is currently looking for vendors to manufacture this 3D sensor and it is expected that it will be launched in 2019. However, this timeline is subject to change based on the availability of supplier and the engineering effort needed to incorporate the technology into both hardware and software of newer iPhones.
