Night mode is an automatic setting which takes advantage of the new wide-angle camera that's in the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro models. It's equipped with a larger sensor that is able to let in more light, allowing for brighter photos when the light is low.
macOS Catalina Now Available
Kuo: 2019 iPhones Unlikely to Feature Time-of-Flight 3D Sensor in Rear Camera
Looking ahead to next year, Ming-Chi Kuo believes that contrary to some analysts' expectations, Apple is unlikely to integrate a time-of-flight (ToF) depth sensing system in the rear camera of its 2019 iPhones.
Reports of Apple including rear-facing 3D sensing capabilities in its 2019 iPhone lineup first began appearing last year. At the time, Apple was said to be evaluating a ToF approach, which is different from the one it currently uses in the TrueDepth sensor system on the front of the iPhone X.
TrueDepth relies on a structured-light technique that projects a pattern of 30,000 laser dots onto a user's face and measures the distortion to generate an accurate 3D image for authentication. By contrast, ToF calculates the time it takes for a laser to bounce off surrounding objects to create a 3D image of the environment.
However, in a note to investors this morning, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo said that the company would not use a rear-side application of ToF technology in next year's smartphone lineup for two reasons.
First, the distance and depth information provided by rear-side ToF is currently insufficient for creating the "revolutionary AR experience" that Apple ultimately wants to develop. Kuo believes that in addition to camera distance/depth data, the complete AR ecosystem Apple is aiming for requires 5G connectivity, augmented-reality glasses, and a "more powerful Apple Map database," which is presumably a reference to Apple's efforts to enhance Maps with augmented reality features.
Second, the addition of rear-side ToF would do little to improve the iPhone's photo-taking capabilities, because the current dual-camera setup is already capable of capturing or simulating enough distance/depth information to make photo-features like Portrait Mode a reality.
"We believe that iPhone's dual-camera can simulate and offer enough distance/depth information necessary for photo-taking; it is therefore unnecessary for the 2H19 new iPhone models to be equipped with a rear-side ToF," Kuo concludes.
Last October, Kuo similarly pushed back against reports that Apple would expand its front-facing TrueDepth system to the rear camera on this year's iPhone lineup, which is due to be announced later today. Given Kuo's latest remarks on Apple's smartphone roadmap, rumors of rear-camera 3D sensing capabilities for next year's lineup seem just as unlikely.
Reports of Apple including rear-facing 3D sensing capabilities in its 2019 iPhone lineup first began appearing last year. At the time, Apple was said to be evaluating a ToF approach, which is different from the one it currently uses in the TrueDepth sensor system on the front of the iPhone X.
TrueDepth relies on a structured-light technique that projects a pattern of 30,000 laser dots onto a user's face and measures the distortion to generate an accurate 3D image for authentication. By contrast, ToF calculates the time it takes for a laser to bounce off surrounding objects to create a 3D image of the environment.
However, in a note to investors this morning, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo said that the company would not use a rear-side application of ToF technology in next year's smartphone lineup for two reasons.
First, the distance and depth information provided by rear-side ToF is currently insufficient for creating the "revolutionary AR experience" that Apple ultimately wants to develop. Kuo believes that in addition to camera distance/depth data, the complete AR ecosystem Apple is aiming for requires 5G connectivity, augmented-reality glasses, and a "more powerful Apple Map database," which is presumably a reference to Apple's efforts to enhance Maps with augmented reality features.
Second, the addition of rear-side ToF would do little to improve the iPhone's photo-taking capabilities, because the current dual-camera setup is already capable of capturing or simulating enough distance/depth information to make photo-features like Portrait Mode a reality.
"We believe that iPhone's dual-camera can simulate and offer enough distance/depth information necessary for photo-taking; it is therefore unnecessary for the 2H19 new iPhone models to be equipped with a rear-side ToF," Kuo concludes.
Last October, Kuo similarly pushed back against reports that Apple would expand its front-facing TrueDepth system to the rear camera on this year's iPhone lineup, which is due to be announced later today. Given Kuo's latest remarks on Apple's smartphone roadmap, rumors of rear-camera 3D sensing capabilities for next year's lineup seem just as unlikely.
Related Roundups: Apple Glasses, iPhone 11
Buyer's Guide: iPhone 11 (Buy Now)
[ 25 comments ]
Top Rated Comments
(View all)
14 months ago
I love when we get next year's iPhone prediction the very day of the launch of this years iPhones :D
14 months ago
Let’s talk about iPhone XXX. When will Apple stop treating us like 5 year olds and allow naughty words and content on iOS? #LateNightRoomers
14 months ago
Does this dude actually have resources to be able to tell anything? It seems like any word that comes out of "analyst" is classified as a leak.
These leaks of Apple's future plans by Kuo are a a betrayal of Apple; probably illegal, and he should be sued. Also, he's making it all up.
14 months ago
Does this dude actually have resources to be able to tell anything? It seems like any word that comes out of "analyst" is classified as a leak.
14 months ago
Does this dude actually have resources to be able to tell anything? It seems like any word that comes out of "analyst" is classified as a leak.
Are you kidding? His very old predictions of 6.1" LCD and 5.8"/6.5" OLED iPhones were just proven right in the last hour. He was the first one to call it and never changed his story.This is from 10 months ago https://www.macrumors.com/2017/11/13/kuo-three-new-iphones-2018/
I'm not going to look up any more of his predictions, but if you care to do so, you'll see his track record is pretty accurate.
14 months ago
So much about next years iPhone rear cameras right on launch day of this years new phones. Hmmm.
Deja-voo. Reminds me the time before iPhone 7 was released and we were being provided with rumours of the edge to edge OLED iPhone, AKA iPhone X.
[ Read All Comments ]
Apple today sent out emails for a new Apple Pay promotion, offering a $5 discount on groceries when you spend $35 or more through Instacart. To get the discount, you'll need to use Apple...
Luna Display today introduced a new Mac-to-Mac mode that allows any Mac released within the last decade to be used as a second display for another Mac. This includes any combination of Macs, ranging...
Apple has released a third trailer for the upcoming comedy series "Dickinson" ahead of its November 1 premiere on Apple TV+.
Dickinson is a half-hour comedy series starring...
Adobe remains committed to releasing Photoshop CC for the iPad by the end of 2019, and plans to provide an update on the app at its Adobe MAX creative conference in early November, according to...
Smart camera brand Arlo has launched a new internet connected Video Doorbell that's "designed to capture what traditional video doorbells can't."
Arlo says the Video Doorbell...
While not yet reflected on Apple's system status page, a number of Apple services are currently experiencing downtime or slow performance, including the App Store, Apple Music, iCloud, and the...
Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming watchOS 6.1 beta to developers, just under a week after seeding the third watchOS 6.1 beta and a month after releasing the watchOS 6 update with full...
Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming tvOS 13.2 update to developers for testing purposes, just under a week after seeding the second tvOS 13.2 beta and three weeks after releasing the...
