Entire iPhone 13 Lineup to Get Lidar: Report

Citing industry sources, a new report by DigiTimes is claiming that Apple will be incorporating its Lidar scanning technology found in the iPhone 12 Pro models and the latest iPad Pro to its entire ‘iPhone 13’ lineup releasing in 2021.

“Apple has adopted dToF LiDAR scanner in iPad Pro and iPhone 12 Pro series, and is expected to apply the scanner technology to all its 2021 iPhone models, which will remain available with face ID sensors, the sources said.”

The report also notes that Android smartphone makers are expected to massively incorporate the technology into their upcoming models to be rolled out in the first-half of 2022, with Sony likely to re-design its CMOS image sensors (CIS) for use in these Android-powered handsets.

For those who aren’t familiar, Lidar stands for light detection and ranging, and uses lasers to ping off objects and return to the source of the laser, measuring distance by timing the travel, or flight, of the light pulse. 

The iPhone 12 Pro camera works better with Lidar. Apple promises better low-light focus, up to six times faster in low-light conditions. The Lidar depth-sensing is also used to improve night portrait mode effects.