What you need to know
- Apple's iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max are expected to be the only 2021 iPhones with LiDAR Scanners.
- Early rumors suggested the feature was coming to all iPhone 13 models, but that isn't now thought to be the case.
Apple's iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max will be the only new iPhones with LiDAR Scanners to be released this year, according to a new tweet by leaker DylanDKT.
Despite rumors earlier this year that Apple would bring LiDAR to all iPhones this year, it isn't now thought that will be the case. It isn't yet clear whether Apple ultimately decided the move wouldn't be cost-effective or just wanted to keep the feature back for its high-end models. It's also possible that the January report was wrong, of course.
https://twitter.com/dylandkt/status/1414338686314074116
It's still possible that Apple will bring LiDAR to all iPhone 14 models of course, although that's still more than a year away and it's possible any plans Apple has in motion are still fluid at this time.
Apple's iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max currently offer the LiDAR Scanner, with Apple describing it thus:
An all-new LiDAR Scanner comes to the Pro line, offering the ability to measure light distance and use pixel depth information of a scene. This technology delivers faster, more realistic AR experiences and improves autofocus by 6x in low-light scenes for more accuracy and reduced capture time in photos and videos. This advanced hardware, combined with the power of the Neural Engine of A14 Bionic, also unlocks Night mode portraits, rendering a beautiful low-light bokeh effect.
LiDAR is surely a feature Apple will want to make more use of as it continues its focus on AR capabilities across its lineup. We're still a couple of months out from an iPhone 13 announcement, but you can still bag an iPhone deal if you're in need of a handset sooner rather than later.
