A newly uncovered patent suggests that Apple might be toying with the idea of including a 3D camera on its future iOS devices.
Major changes are expected for the iPhone 5 – with a completely new design and a bigger screen – but could a 3D a camera be one them too?
According to an Apple patent filing discovered by PA, the cameras would incorporate laser, RADAR, light-detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensors for detecting depth as well as sensors for more intense color accuracy.
The new patent shows how the camera would work, it would come with three sensors, spaced apart, to work out the differences in perspective, which just can’t be done with a single sensor.
The sensors would take three shots, two polarized and one not – the three images will be melded together to create the 3D image.
Also explained within the patent is a similar blueprint using two sensors, one polarised and the other not. The 3D tech would work for both stills and video, further increasing its possible applications.
Fox example, the technology could be used in a similar way to the Kinect camera allowing users to scan 3D objects into games and applications.
Fancy inserting your face into an FPS game as a boss character? It could be on the cards, once the devs get their hands on this tech.
Now, before you go stand in line for the as-yet-unannounced new iPhone to get your hands on a palm-sized 3D smartphone, remember that this is just a patent filing – not a promise to deliver.
That said, as long as it doesn’t diminish battery life, a 3D camera would put that crystal-clear Retina display to pretty good use.
We had previously pegged the iPhone5 release in September, but according to the Washington Post, Apple is already staffing up for a June iPhone 5 release.
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