Apple introduced the LiDAR sensor on the iPhone and iPad in 2020. LiDAR is the abbreviation of Light Detection And Ranging. With this special sensor, your iPhone and iPad can scan the environment. This allows the distance to certain objects to be measured directly. In this blog, we will go into more detail about the technology.
What good is LiDAR?
LiDAR is a technology that you encounter on various devices. In addition to the iPhone, LiDAR is used in cars with a self-driving function. The sensor constantly scans the environment.
This way it is discovered whether another car is driving nearby. Or that a pedestrian suddenly crosses the road. The sensor recognizes this and intervenes if necessary.
LiDAR on your iPhone and iPad is used in different ways. This way, the technology comes into its own with AR apps and games. AR stands for Augmented Reality.
You know this from Pokémon Go, for example, where Pokémon is shown in the app via your camera. LiDAR allows the sensor to scan the environment better. This way the Pokémon is shown better and in a more logical way.
LiDAR also gives you better results with an app with which you want to decorate your living room. Laser beams scan the environment via the sensor and determine whether you can place a piece of furniture in the desired location.
The standard Measuring app also works more accurately. This gives a better result for the distances you want to measure.
Your photos benefit from LiDAR. The laser beams help to quickly measure depth. This means that the autofocus is activated 6 times faster in low light. Your photos and videos will be sharper, while recording time will be shorter.
How do you recognize LiDAR?
The LiDAR sensor can be found on the back of your iPhone. The sensor is part of the camera block. It’s the small black round sensor at the bottom right. You don’t have to adjust anything on your phone. The technology is used automatically by your camera.
These iPhone and iPad models have LiDAR
Not every iPhone or iPad has LiDAR. The sensor can only be found on the Pro and Pro Max phones. This concerns the models below.
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPad Pro (2020) 4th generation
Discover LiDAR with Polycam
LiDAR is a technology that is automatically used by your camera. However, you can get started with it yourself.
Try the Polycam app. This allows you to capture objects in 3D via the LiDAR sensor. This produces unique images. But it can also help to record the different rooms in your house in a construction drawing.
This gives you a better idea of how many square meters your new floor needs to be. And what the costs are. The app can be downloaded for free.
