If you have read about autonomous cars, you may know that LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors play a huge role in motor vehicles. The job of a LiDAR sensor is to "map" an area by measuring the distances of objects through reflected radiation.
Apple added the sensor to the new iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max with the aim of improving photos. It is not the first time that company χρησιμοποιεί τον αισθητήρα LiDAR στα προϊόντα της. Τον Μάρτιο του 2020, η εταιρεία από το Cupertino συμπεριέλαβε τον αισθητήρα στο νέο της iPad. Ωστόσο, ο πρωταρχικός σκοπός του αισθητήρα σε αυτήν τη device was to help augmented reality.
In the new iPhone, Apple claims to help with three things: photo and video effects, precise placement of AR objects, and scanning objects and rooms.
The last two applications of the LiDAR function are largely for developers who want to develop apps for mapping a room, for example. For the average consumer, the feature can be used to add effects to photos and videos.
Because LiDAR can operate in the dark with a laser to calculate distances, Apple uses it to improve autofocus on the latest iPhones. The company claims that due to the sensor the iPhone 12 Pro phones will have 6 times faster autofocus in low light compared to a normal camera. In addition, the LiDAR sensor allows the device to take better photos in a vertical position even in low light conditions.
The idea of using a depth sensor is not new. Many lower priced phones, such as the OnePlus Nord, use a depth-sensor camera to enhance portrait photos. But these sensors work better in daylight than in low light. Some devices such as the Huawei P30 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra have a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor. Uses infrared to map the environment.
Both ToF and LiDAR can scan an area to only a few meters, while some variants of LiDAR can measure distances of over 100 meters. However, these are mostly used in cars. The advantage of having a LiDAR sensor is that it sends shorter pulsed beams from one corner to another to "scan" the area. On the other hand, the ToF sensor sends a single flash pulse for the measurement of the area and this can cause more inaccuracies in the distances.
