Apple hopes new 3D sensor will move iPhone closer to augmented-reality device
Apple is evaluating a different technology from the one it currently uses in the TrueDepth sensor system on the front of the iPhone X, sources say
San Francisco/Tokyo — Apple is working on a rear-facing 3D sensor system for the iPhone in 2019, another step toward turning the handset into a leading augmented-reality device, according to people familiar with the plan. Apple is evaluating a different technology from the one it currently uses in the TrueDepth sensor system on the front of the iPhone X, the people said. The existing system relies on a structured-light technique that projects a pattern of 30,000 laser dots onto a user’s face and measures the distortion to generate an accurate 3D image for authentication. The planned rear-facing sensor would instead use a time-of-flight approach that calculates the time it takes for a laser to bounce off surrounding objects to create a 3D picture of the environment. The company is expected to keep the TrueDepth system, so future iPhones will have both front and rear-facing 3D sensing capabilities. Apple has started discussions with prospective suppliers of the new system, the people ...
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