For the first time, we have a generation of iPhones three cameras in a single device (one front and two rear). We have covered a lot about them here and conclude that, in a few years, Apple took a significant leap in photography. The only thing that hasn't changed is her slowness in implementing new elements / features.
We know very well that this delay in implementing new technologies and / or purposeful resources by Apple, due to a company culture. So, I started to reflect on what these two new rear cameras in the iPhone 7 Plus can indicate, in addition to the effort to deliver better images.
We have also covered a few times here on the website that Apple has directed efforts in the field of augmented and virtual reality. He hired specialists from the area (1, 2), bought small companies in the industry and it is not uncommon to see Tim Cook talking about this field.
Both the augmented reality as for virtual they are not only new technologies, but they are still not mass-use, as the technologies run up against the lack of hardware capable of supporting processing and offer a commercial use experience.
And that is the point: Apple is committed to offering the best products on the market and maintains a history of dictating the course of an entire market. So, why not develop the best devices capable of running augmented / virtual realities? What if that device was the iPhone itself?
precisely from the two iPhone 7 Plus cameras that I base my speculation on. In these technologies, the mapping and control of the image pattern is fundamental for the immersion experience, and, when there are two cameras, this work is easier each one performs a specific function (wide angle and telephoto). Of course, the software part is just as important, since he is the one who will manage all this information and control the work of the cameras.
THE Project Tango, a research and development arm in robotics and computing at Google, has been working on this type of technology for a few years to offer advanced 3D features, capable of perceiving the space, size and depth of the surrounding elements using the camera sensors. Not only Google, but Facebook, Sony and Microsoft have already introduced their products based on augmented / virtual realities.
And why would we want augmented / virtual realities on our iPhones or some new Apple product? Well, the possibilities are endless. We are on the verge of a new market that has not yet been fully explored in which the real and the virtual offer a unique experience.
Imagine, to buy a new sofa in the store, all you have to do is scan the desired room and furniture, and try it virtually to see if it looks good or not.
Okay, I admit that this reality may be far away, but I don't think it's crazy to imagine Apple walking this way and making the iPhone become more relevant and indispensable for our daily lives. I really believe that these two cameras will have other features in the future.
Apparently, Tony Stark's reality is not quite like that.