Apple's WWDC 2024 was packed with a series of updates and AI integrations coming with the iOS 18. With visionOS 2, the company is going one step further in spatial computing by giving the option to convert 2D images to spatial photos and adding more depth and dimension to them through advanced machine learning. Earlier, we covered Apple's partnership with Canon to bring mirrorless cameras to help create spatial videos for the Vision Pro that will mimic human visual coverage. The company announced that it is going one step ahead with spatial videos by expanding the option to third-party apps, but it will require iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max running iOS 18.
Apple is launching a new API for developers that will allow them to offer spatial video recording on their apps in iOS 18
Until now, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max could record 3D spatial videos for the Apple Vision Pro using the stock camera app. The feature is currently available on iOS 17.2 and newer versions, but third-party apps have not been able to capture in-depth details. While the feature was only available for the company's built-in application previously, this option is now being enabled for third-party apps with iOS 18.
Apple announced at the WWDC 2024 coding session (via MacRumors) that it will launch an API for developers to help them create spatial videos through any camera app. Since the API build is incorporated into the available camera frameworks, developers can use the feature with great ease.
Since the camera must be vertically aligned to capture spatial videos, the iPhone 15 Pro's main and ultra-wide lens will be the only devices capable of recording depth details in a video. The ability will be restricted to the 'Pro' models as the standard models come with a diagonal set of cameras that do not bolster the adequate collection of data for spatial videos.
The company is changing the course of its action with the release of its upcoming iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models, as the devices are slated to feature a vertical set of cameras. This means that we can expect spatial video support to come to all models of the iPhone 16 later this year. The Vision Pro's market will expand further as the company intends to launch it in China, Japan, Singapore, and other countries, and bringing third-party apps onboard will expand the capabilities and options for the end user. Third-party apps could be allowed to add variations to the mix, like filters and much more, in the future.
iOS 18 is currently in beta preview for testing purposes and will be publicly released in the fall of this year. While Apple focuses on expanding the capabilities and market for the Vision Pro, the development of Vision Pro 2 is reportedly paused for now as the company plans to launch a more budget-friendly version of the Apple Vision Pro headset.
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