LG and HTC have jumped in to the madness of 3D imagery recording smartphones as well as tablets. Pretty much every handset maker *might* planned a 3D smartphone after that. So why would Apple stay behind? Apple is said to be working on an iPhone prototype that would be capable of capturing 3D images. Apple Insider has discovered Apple’s recent patent application titled: Systems and Methods for an Imaging System Using Multiple Image Sensors. Well, that does sound like iPhone 3D.
The Patent filing about using an additional image sensor on iPhone system to capture, process and render 3D images. So dual-camera on same side of smartphone isn’t something new. We’ve already seen that with LG Optimus 3D and HTC EVO 3D. The approach is looked upon as a “paradigm shift from the known software-based approaches”. According to this approach, the software should be able to ‘guess’ how two images in to a single 3D photograph. Hardware based approach would also be employed for more accurate processing and hence would require more than one image sensor that could determine the luma, chroma and depth of two different images to combine them.
After one time calibration, the device would be able to record one time 3D video. Now the real question is that will the phone display 3D content which would be viewable with or without glasses. I presume this iPhone system would be caring glassess-less 3D display to enjoy 3D.
Coming back to the chief point – Will Apple come out with 3D iPhone? I believe it’s quite unlikely. The whole 3D momentum isn’t really picking up as anticipated by the display industry. At this moment, the cost of adoption of 3D technology is pretty high. Though we see many 3D movies releasing every quarter, it makes me think – was it really necessary to shoot the movie in 3D? Probably not. The entire implementation depends on story and several other requirements. But now, releasing movies in 3D is like a trend/fashion. Consumer technology will be going through similar phase soon. Looking at Apple’s track record, it’s difficult to claim if Apple will actually release iPhone with 3D capturing capabilities. I believe not really. Not until 2015.
Source: AppleInsider