Apple patent suggests iPhone 12 camera may have features similar to Google Pixel

Apple iPhone 12 launch is said to be delayed by a month or two owing to supply chain constraints due to the pandemic. While we wait for the new iPhone 12 models, details about the camera unit have been leaked yet again.

A new patent suggests that Apple could borrow a page from Google Pixel’s camera features and add them in iPhone 12.

The iPhone 12 camera module is said to get an additional Time of Flight (ToF) sensor or a LiDAR sensor that was first introduced in the iPad Pro. According to Patently Apple, the ToF sensor will be used to capture 4x the data compared to existing technologies like 3D scanning.

A patent application published by the US Patent & Trademark Office suggests that the new ToF cameras could improve Face ID and because of its clarity of depth, it could enable in-air gesturing for the iPhone and in vehicles in the future, improve Augmented Reality (AR) experiences and more.

Google introduced air gestures on Pixel 4 with the help of its Motion Sensing technology based on the Project Soli chip. Users have reported several issues when it comes to the accuracy of Google's gesture-based tech.

Also check: Apple iPhone 12 series specifications, price, storage options leaked

Apple has been pushing for AR-related applications and features. The company introduced a new LiDAR sensor on the iPad Pro 2020 that uses lasers for augmented reality and depth-sensing. Apple is also rumoured to be working on AR glasses that will rely on the LiDAR sensors for depth mapping. 

Other applications could be superior indoor navigation, improving AR experiences and theoretically, provide superior blur backgrounds or bokeh effects in portrait mode.

Also Read: Apple iPhone 12 launch delayed by a 'few weeks'

The new iPhone 12 models are expected to be unveiled on October 12. We can expect the premium Pro models — iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max — to feature the new LiDAR / ToF scanner.