Apple Introduces 3D Spatial Video Recording with iOS 17.2 Update
Today marks the release of Apple's iOS 17.2, bringing a notable feature to its latest iPhone models, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max—the capacity to film in a three-dimensional space. This innovative recording capability is poised to revolutionize the way users capture memories and is specifically designed to be compatible with the forthcoming Apple Vision Pro mixed-reality headset.
Apple's new feature uses a combination of the main and ultrawide cameras to create an immersive 3D video, which is then stored as a singular file within a newly designated “Spatial” album in the Photos app. Thanks to iCloud synchronization, these spatial videos will be accessible across all the user's Apple devices. The quality of these videos is impressive, with a resolution of 1080p at a smooth 30 frames per second.
To try out these spatial recordings, you can enable the feature via the Settings app. Users select "Spatial Video for Apple Vision Pro” in the 'Camera' subsection of 'Formats' to turn it on. Ensuring the iPhone is held horizontally will lead to the best recording quality.
While spatial videos are primarily meant for an immersive experience on compatible devices, they are still viewable as standard two-dimensional videos on iPhones that do not support the 3D feature.
Greg Joswiak, the Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing at Apple, expressed his excitement about the launch of spatial video, indicating that this innovation takes the iPhone 15 Pro models to new levels of realism in capturing memories. According to him, the new iPhones possess the most sophisticated camera systems Apple has ever constructed, offering the highest video quality found in a smartphone. The 3D recording capability thus sets a fresh standard for what smartphones are capable of, all while paving the way for an enhanced relationship with Apple's next big venture—the AR/VR headset set to launch the following year.
Alongside the launch of the 3D spatial video feature, Apple's latest software update includes the rollout of the Journal app, a refreshed Apple TV app, and an innovative method for accessing Health app data using Siri.
