date – which seems iffy considering previous iPad Pro
release dates, but not implausible – that means we’d
see the sensors on the iPad Pro around half a year
before we see them on the iPhone.
Time-of-flight sensors measure the time it takes for
LED beams to bounce off objects in front of them, which
allows for much greater accuracy for AR than what you’ll
get with the machine-learning methods employed by
the rear cameras in current iPhones. The TrueDepth
sensors on the front-facing cameras on current
iPhones are wickedly accurate, but they use a different
technology that isn’t as effective past a few feet.
It may seem a little out of character for Apple to
debut such important hardware on the iPad Pro rather
than the iPhone, but the fact is that Apple tends to use
its tablets over its phones when it demonstrates AR
tech during keynote presentations. Apple seemingly
sees the technology as better suited to the iPad, and it’s
possible it believes reliable sensors could make both
the iPad and augmented reality grow in popularity.
Still, it’s really hard to imagine Apple taking away
some of the iPhone’s thunder. For that matter, there
are conflicting reports. The usually reliable Bloomberg
claims that Apple will refresh the iPad Pro line-up later
this year – the current models dropped in November
– while Japanese site Mac Otakara recently claimed
we’d see iPad Pros with triple lenses this October.
If there’s any truth to The Elec’s report, it could
mean that Apple now plans to wait to release the new
iPad Pro until next year.date–whichseemsiffyconsideringpreviousiPadPro
releasedates,butnotimplausible–thatmeanswe’d
seethesensorsontheiPadProaroundhalfayear
beforeweseethemontheiPhone.
Time-of-flightsensorsmeasurethetimeittakesfor
LEDbeamstobounceoffobjectsinfrontofthem,which
allowsformuchgreateraccuracyforARthanwhatyou’ll
getwiththemachine-learningmethodsemployedby
therearcamerasincurrentiPhones.TheTrueDepth
sensorsonthefront-facingcamerasoncurrent
iPhonesarewickedlyaccurate,buttheyuseadifferent
technologythatisn’taseffectivepastafewfeet.
ItmayseemalittleoutofcharacterforAppleto
debutsuchimportanthardwareontheiPadProrather
thantheiPhone,butthefactisthatAppletendstouse
itstabletsoveritsphoneswhenitdemonstratesAR
techduringkeynotepresentations.Appleseemingly
seesthetechnologyasbettersuitedtotheiPad,andit’s
possibleitbelievesreliablesensorscouldmakeboth
theiPadandaugmentedrealitygrowinpopularity.
Still,it’sreallyhardtoimagineAppletakingaway
someoftheiPhone’sthunder.Forthatmatter,there
areconflictingreports.TheusuallyreliableBloomberg
claimsthatApplewillrefreshtheiPadProline-uplater
thisyear–thecurrentmodelsdroppedinNovember
- whileJapanesesiteMacOtakararecentlyclaimed
we’dseeiPadProswithtriplelensesthisOctober.
Ifthere’sanytruthtoTheElec’sreport,itcould
meanthatApplenowplanstowaittoreleasethenew
iPadPrountilnextyear.