Citing “people familiar with the plans,” a recent report by Bloomberg claims that Apple plans to launch iPhones and iPads with a longer range, rear-facing 3D camera “as soon as next year.” This new camera would supposedly use a laser scanner to create a 3D representation of the environment instead of the dot-projection technology used in Apple’s front facing 3D cameras. Additionally, the insiders claim that the new devices will include a enhanced 3rd camera, and that this year’s iPhones will sport 3 cameras as well, seemingly corroborating the Wall Street Journal’s report from earlier this month. It also mentions that Apple is “testing” USB-C as a replacing to their proprietary lightning ports, while iOS 13 is said to include a dark mode and integration of an “original video content” service.



The 2020 iPhone camera may be a prelude to an AR headset that Apple has been preparing for as early as 2020… Apple previously aimed to put the new 3-D camera system on the back of this year’s high-end iPhones, but delayed that, the people familiar also said… For 2019, Apple plans successors to the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max — code-named D42 and D43 — and an update to the iPhone XR, said the people. The larger of the new high-end iPhones will have three cameras on the back, and other handsets could eventually come with the upgraded system, too, the people said.

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Source: [H]ardOCP – Bloomberg Claims iDevices With Laser 3D Cameras are Coming