2019 iPhones are not expected to come with TrueDepth rear camera

Some iPhone X cases * will not * fit the iPhone XS

Some say it’s only a matter of time before Apple introduces the technology TrueDepth to the rear cameras of iPhones (and iPads, who knows) – not for facial recognition purposes, as the front camera of the iPhones X / XS / XS Max / XR serves, but to take the augmented reality ARKit in which the company has been investing for some time.

The TrueDepth rear cameras, however, did not come in 2018. And, according to our good old analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (from TF International Securities), they also won’t be on the 2019 iPhones.

In a note sent to investors obtained by the AppleInsider, Kuo cited the opinion of industry experts when saying that Apple has plans to incorporate, in the rear cameras, a 3D scanning technology different from the front TrueDepth camera. This new technology, called Time of Flight (TOF), would be much more complex and precise than what we have in selfie and would create much larger 3D maps, calculating the time it takes infrared laser beams to reach an object and return – the technique we have today, in turn, involves the projection of points of light and covers a much smaller area (like a face) ).

According to Kuo, the adoption of such technology would be the first step for Apple to create the ultimate experience in augmented reality, with unimaginable resources for what we have today in terms of technical availability. This more advanced AR ecosystem would require not only the new cameras, but also a solid high-speed 5G network, a large database on Apple Maps and even Apple’s possible augmented reality glasses. All of these technologies, as we know, are still a bit far from being ready for prime-time debut.

Kuo said that Apple could hurry to speed up the development of TOF and include it in the cameras of 2019 iPhones, but it would make no sense to spend energy on such a project as soon as the other technologies needed to create such a new AR ecosystem (5G , Maps and glasses) are still in their infancy. What’s more, TOF would not be beneficial for capturing photos and videos per se – since even the iPhone XR, with a single lens, is already able to take pictures in Portrait Mode with depth-of-field adjustment and everything in between. .

So, for those who are looking forward to more advanced AR applications, it is good that you feel – at least until 2020, there will be no big news there. But the prospect of new Maps and other apps based entirely on augmented reality is promising, ah, that is.