Apple Could Use 'Broadcast Quality' iPhone Cameras to Stream WWDC 2020 Sessions

"American Idol" is one of many shows to be on hiatus amid the ongoing health crisis, and last month we learned that filming is being done remotely using iPhones to finish out the current season.

iphone11protriplelens
According to a new TechCrunch article, the home studio rigs provided by ABC to "American Idol" hosts and contestants comprise a three-camera setup, including three iPhone 11 Pros, a tripod and a ring light, with production teams helping with camera setup and editing at a safe distance from home.

Apple also provided a statement for the article, saying its iPhones offer a novel portable solution for professionals to deliver "broadcast quality" video, despite the stay-at-home restrictions.

We know that people are relying on their favorite shows while staying at home, and we are happy to be a part of that process with the team at American Idol. iPhone offers a unique solution to deliver broadcast quality video, in the palm of your hand, while keeping production staff and on-air talent safe and in their homes.

Apple's consumer equipment has been used before to produce TV shows and other broadcasts from home. For example, well-known talk show host Conan O'Brien shoots his show from home using an ‌iPhone‌, while all of his guests use Skype and the rest of his crew is working from home.

Apple itself is planning to use iPhones for streaming broadcasts at WWDC 2020, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, although the extent of this reliance on iPhones is likely to be limited to developer sessions. Expect Apple's keynote presentation and other prominent broadcasts to involve more professional studio rigs and tracking equipment.

Apple's virtual WWDC event kicks off next month and will be hosted in the Apple Developer app and the Apple Developer website. The event will be free for all developers, and Apple's keynote is likely to fall on on June 22, when WWDC begins.

Popular Stories

hikawa phone grip stand apple%402x

Apple Launches Second Limited-Edition iPhone Accessory in a Month

Friday November 21, 2025 3:53 am PST by
Apple has begun selling the Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand, a new limited-edition iPhone accessory designed with accessibility in mind. Designed by LA-based Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple, the grip uses magnets to securely snap onto any iPhone with MagSafe. Apple says it can be removed with ease, and doubles as a stand with two different viewing...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
Apple Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 27 Will Reportedly Have Two Key Upgrades

Sunday November 23, 2025 8:48 am PST by
iOS 27 will reportedly have two major elements: quality improvements and new AI features. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense that Apple is focused on improving "quality and underlying performance" over adding new features. Gurman said there is one exception to this rule, though, as he expects...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: iPhone 18 Pro Looks Like a Huge Upgrade

Friday November 21, 2025 9:10 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the new features and improvements expected to come to next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Apple's next-generation iPhones are less than ten months away and we already have a good idea about what to expect based on corroborated leaks, rumors,...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Two Breakthrough Features

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:26 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include two standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
General Black Friday Deals 25 Red

Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now on AirPods, iPads, Accessories, and More

Friday November 21, 2025 8:48 am PST by
We're only a few days away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
ipad black friday 2025

The Best Early Black Friday iPad Deals

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:20 am PST by
Black Friday is just over a week away, and iPad deals have finally started to flood in at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Below we're tracking discounts on every current generation iPad, including lowest-ever prices on M3 iPad Air and M5 iPad Pro, plus steep markdowns on iPad and iPad mini. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a ...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Wednesday November 19, 2025 4:00 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...

Top Rated Comments

Unami Avatar
72 months ago
Just no. "broadcast quality" would mean a 422 codec in HD, far less compression and a lot of other things, from the technical sides alone.

Then there's hardware requirements (4-8 audio Tracks, nice Lenses,...).

Iphones have good cameras for a phone, but they don't hold a candle to TV cameras or even DSLRs. Yet.

There's a reason a decent camera lens cost's more than an iphone. Computational photography and cheaper storage will probably close that gap someday but not that soon.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thelookingglass Avatar
72 months ago

High quality, indeed.

Incidentally, I just sold my Canon DSLR as it was very much redundant since the iPhone 11 Pro. Not that this was the expected outcome, by the way.
Were you just not using it much for photography? There’s a clear difference in quality between the iPhone and DSLRs, even on the newest iPhones.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Edsel Avatar
72 months ago
"Broadcast quality"?



Attachment Image
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mozumder Avatar
72 months ago
OK Apple now do this for the front-facing iPhone cameras and Mac cameras. We really need higher quality front cameras, as good as the rear cameras, in the age of video conferencing. This includes larger lenses, OIS, larger pixels, and high-output, high-CRI LEDs.

More people are going to use the front camera than the rear camera.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PortoMavericks Avatar
72 months ago
I own a Canon SL2, entry level and at this point a bit old. There’s no way to compare.

Even more if we’re talking about the subject of the thread: video. You‘re simply not going to get a shallow depth of field out of the iPhone while it can be easily achieved with a Canon 50mm ($120?) lens.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DanBig Avatar
72 months ago
If I was Apple... I would create a bunch of remote kits! Basically, a pair of iPhones with tripods and one ring light and one panel light, one iPhone with a stabilizer handle for moving about, two iPad's one as a prompter with a tripod setup, the second iPad setup as the video switch and editing station for all of the feeds. With all of the needed apps setup on the iPhone's & iPad's.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)