Laser-based 3D sensors and more; what you can expect from Apple’s next iPhone

By Warren Miller, contributing writer

You’re probably still waiting to get your iPhone X, but it’s never too soon to start thinking about 2019, by which time your 2017 model will be obsolete. According to a new report from Bloomberg , Apple is working on incorporating 3D sensor technology into the 2019 iPhone in what could be a big step forward in augmented reality apps and services. Current iPhone models employ a similar sensor system on the forward-facing display side, but this new laser-based system would be implemented on the rear of future iterations.

The new system would theoretically work by measuring the time it takes for lasers emitted from the rear of the phone to bounce back to their source and using that information to create a three-dimensional map, much like the infrared facial recognition system on the front of the iPhone X. Ideally, this new laser-based method would create more detailed 3D models than the FaceID system is capable of producing.

Apple is working on incorporating 3D sensor technology into the 2019 iPhone. Image source: Pixabay.

Augmented-reality-based applications could be the wave of the future, according to Apple CEO Tim Cook. During a recent earnings call, he proffered that “we’re already seeing things that will transform the way you work, play, connect, and learn. AR is going to change the way we use technology forever.” Perhaps a more AR-friendly platform with a wide ecosystem of support for authoring and distributing content is all that is needed to unleash the wave of AR applications that are always predicted for next year.

In a move to create just such a platform, Apple released a software development tool called ARKit earlier this year that has helped pave the way for programmers to create AR applications for the iPhone, but it still has a few drawbacks. Imprinting virtual objects onto horizontal planes and surfaces is possible, but the tool still struggles with vertically aligned surfaces like walls or doors, meaning 3D images might appear in front of an open doorway instead of through it. 

Apple still isn’t certain that this technology will be ready in time for the release of the 2019 iPhone, but you can be sure that they’ll make every effort to include it if they can. If nothing else, this is one more indication that AR is going to find a way into the market in a big way. If you remember seeing hordes of AR users wandering the streets playing Pokémon GO, you know how much AR could influence the next wave of cellular technology innovation.