Apple is once again revolutionizing the world of smartphone photography and videography with the introduction of iOS 17.2. This update brings an extraordinary feature to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max—the ability to record spatial videos.
This capability allows users to capture life’s precious moments in three dimensions, providing a magical and immersive experience.
With this advent, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max users can now enable spatial video capture through their device settings. This feature utilizes the unparalleled camera systems on these smartphones, delivering a video quality that surpasses any other in the market.
The spatial videos are recorded in 1080p at 30 frames per second in standard dynamic range, showcasing the power of advanced computational videography techniques and HEVC compression.
What are Spatial Videos?
Unlike conventional videos, spatial videos bring an immersive three-dimensional perspective to captured moments. Enabled through advanced computational videography techniques and leveraging the powerful Main and Ultra Wide cameras on the latest iPhones, users can record scenes in three dimensions.
When spatial video capture is initiated, the cameras seamlessly collaborate to produce a video file that encapsulates the depth and spatial layout of the environment. Although these videos appear as standard 2D on devices like iPhones, the true magic unfolds when experienced on Apple Vision Pro, set to launch early next year.
On this platform, spatial videos can be viewed in a window or expanded into an immersive view, offering users a remarkable and lifelike journey back to the captured moments.
What they said
Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, emphasizes the significance of this development. According to him, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max feature the most potent camera systems ever developed by Apple, promising the best video quality on any smartphone.
The introduction of spatial videos takes this capability to new heights, allowing users to capture special moments exactly as they unfold. This magical feature sets a new standard, providing users with the ability to relive their memories in a truly immersive way.
How to capture Spatial Videos
The process of capturing spatial videos is seamlessly integrated into the iPhone’s user experience. By enabling spatial video capture in the settings and opening the Camera app in Video mode, users can effortlessly record in three dimensions.
The sophisticated Main and Ultra Wide cameras work in tandem, creating a single video file with a field of view that seamlessly transitions from the Ultra Wide to the Main camera.
For optimal results, users are advised to maintain a steady hand and choose well-lit conditions. This simplicity in the capturing process ensures that users can focus on the moment, rather than the technicalities of the recording process.
Viewing Spatial Videos
Spatial videos, though captured in three dimensions, appear as regular 2D videos on iPhones and other devices. They can be shared or watched like any other video using various apps, including Messages. A dedicated Spatial album in the Photos app organizes all spatial videos, syncing seamlessly across devices with iCloud.
The true magic happens when these spatial videos come to life on Apple Vision Pro. iCloud integration allows users to access their entire library in the Photos app, where videos can be viewed at life-size scale with stunning color and exceptional detail.
Whether playing back in a window or expanding into an immersive view, spatial videos transport users back to each moment, providing a rich and vivid experience.
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