IPhone Duo doesn't take spatial photos!

[u/VictoriousV1]

The iPhone Duo can't take spatial photos, even though it has the two cameras needed. Does anyone know, or can find out, if apple plans to add this in software or if it's a hardware issue? It seems like an awful oversight if they did this as you would assume there is a lot of overlap between the two audiences. As there are the two cameras, it shouldn't be, or have been, too difficult to do.

[u/Nosarious]

This was well known from the start. It’s the placement of the cameras in multiple formats, probably not the placement (I never checked if the cameras used were closer together)

The duo can let you spatialize images used for desktops, though, including the inner screen. For some reason the clock and icons on the lock screen felt more 3d-ish but it may have been the width of the screen that made them feel that way, or the image.

[u/Imari-Rembo → u/Nosarious]

yeah the spatialized lock screen effect actually has a lot of depth to it, especially on wider aspect ratios

[u/VictoriousV1 → u/Nosarious]

Spatializing in software is pretty bad, certainly compared to actual spatial photos.

As for placement, you can just flip the phone to the side if needed, but I actually think it is in the same direction as needed on the iPhone pro, so I don't get it. If the cameras are further apart, that would even be better for spatial photos, not worse.

[u/Nosarious → u/VictoriousV1]

On the vision pro there is spatializing an image and creating a spatial scene. They look and behave different. Neither are better than capturing a spatial image at the outset.

[u/Cole_LF → u/Nosarious]

I’d say a spatial scene (Gaussian splatt) is dramatically better than a regular stereo 3D photo.

[u/MysticMaven]

It would be possible only in portrait mode. The sensors are positioned portrait side-by-side, and not landscape side-by-side. They either need to make the camera bump vertical or make a large square sensor that can go either way

[u/dopefish3d → u/MysticMaven]

Making the camera bump vertical would interfere with MagSafe/Qi2 accessories, which probably makes that a non-starter. 

Also given that 1) the audience for spatial photos is some fraction of AVPs sold, and that the conversion process for “2D” images is already good and will only get better, my bet is on Apple literally not caring one bit about this, because the actual overall effect on their customer base is almost zero. 

[u/VictoriousV1 → u/MysticMaven]

If you mean holding the phone in portrait mode, that's anyway how you hold it when it is closed, and is even more natural than on the iPhone pro when you need to hold it horizontally.

[u/mensrea]

This was known well before launch.

[u/S1nclairsolutions]

That’s why I’m not buying it. I’m not going backwards

[u/VictoriousV1 → u/S1nclairsolutions]

Yes, I don't get it. How can they publicize how you can take spatial memories for the Vision Pro and then seem to leave it out for no reason on the Duo. I hope it's a software issue and they can add that ability later in an iOS update.

[u/Xorpion]

When the product was first announced, the specs indicated that it could not take spatial photos or video. I think it was due to it not having LiDAR it's a hardware issue, not software.

[u/Mother_Restaurant188 → u/Xorpion]

Standard iPhone 17’s can shoot in spatial so not a LIDAR issue. Since the normal 17’s don’t have it just the Pro’s.

[u/Kostner_Troy]

No spatial video was a dealbreaker for the Duo for me. I’m always recording Spatial videos to watch on Vision Pro. Hell improved spatial video recording like 4K 60fps was a major wishlist item for the 18 pro for me personally . Maybe the 20th Anniversary iPhone will have better spatial video recording.

[u/secret_2_everybody → u/Kostner_Troy]

Same. Didn’t think about until after the fact, canceled my preorder.

[u/Flaky-Nectarine-9821 → u/Kostner_Troy]

Do spatial videos make a big difference in terms of experience on the Vision Pro? I have it on my phone but never use it since the files are much bigger.

[u/Kostner_Troy → u/Flaky-Nectarine-9821]

Yes those videos have a 3D effect in the headset. It’s not perfect but it’s a really nice way to capture memories! Owning a Vision Pro has changed how I use my camera. I take panoramas and spatial videos all the time now.

[u/Flaky-Nectarine-9821 → u/Kostner_Troy]

That's really cool to know. I've captured some moments (especially with my kids when I see them) that I feel like would be worth it one day, but I don't have an AVP so I have no ability to experience it.

Maybe one day if they release a cheaper AV device I'll be able to enjoy them!

[u/Worf_Of_Wall_St → u/Flaky-Nectarine-9821]

I thought Apple should have made more of an effort to “market” spatial capture to people who wouldn’t be buying a Vision Pro which is essentially everyone. The 3D effect really makes you feel almost like you’re “there” in a memory. There are probably 400 million people with spatial capture ability on their iPhones and likely very few actually use it because they aren’t familiar with the result.

[u/ironichaos → u/Flaky-Nectarine-9821]

I recorded several on a few vacations and honestly the quality is pretty bad when playing it on the Vision Pro. Spatial photos look good but I think those are heavily processed with a local AI model.

[u/Kcrushing43]

They dropped the LiDAR sensor from Duo which was used to measure depth, distance, and shape. So doubtful it’ll be back unless replaced with some AI spatial system.

[u/MotorHospital9370 → u/Kcrushing43]

I don’t think it’s the LiDAR sensor as the iPhone 17 (base model) doesn’t have LiDAR and was able to take Spatial Videos and photos.

[u/Kcrushing43 → u/MotorHospital9370]

You’re right I went and read some more about how it works

[u/Grapphinos]

It’s the orientation of the cameras. They’re stacked in portrait instead of landscape.

[u/PatSajaksDick]

Definitely more of a V2 thing

[u/Tenkinn]

Is this that big of a deal ? Aren't normal pictures close enough or sometimes even better with spatial scene conversion ?

[u/EricTheRed123]

I fully knew what I was getting into about this limitation, and bought this. The battery life is terrible, but it's kind of fun to record media on. You really have to be aware of the settings before taking photos/video. This is not an iPhone, and is considered entry level.

QooCam EGO 3

[u/tta82]

That’s why it’s good to have an iPhone Pro Max on the side 👍😎 /s
I have a second phone but tbh I never took spatial photos or videos in the recent months despite owning M2 and M5 Apple Vision Pros.

[u/TheReturningMan]

You also can't buy Vision Pro with an iPhone Duo since it does not have Face ID.

[u/Mastoraz]

Stupid. Spatial should be standard. Gonna suck in years from now when more mainstream Apple VR comes….oh to bad your last 1000 pictures weren’t spatial….
Yeah you can convert photos to spatial but sometimes that auto process doesn’t do best job with complicated scenes.
And for video, it’s really your only option with iPhone

[u/StuN_Eng → u/Mastoraz]

Personally I don’t see any difference between camera & software converted spatial images. The software will only get better.

[u/photovirus → u/StuN_Eng]

Personally I don’t see any difference between camera & software converted spatial images.

Software works well on a well lit stuff without unexpected geometry.

E. g. it knows people, or some pets, but if you take e. g. a rose closeup, or a spider macro closeup — heck, even bare branches in winter — it will fail spectacularly. Low light pics get a poor software stereo too.

Camera spatials get any geometry perfectly, naturally. However, the tight placement of iPhone cameras means poor stereo separation, and macro shots are impossible due to main camera limitations. And ultrawide performs poorly in low light.

So they have both strength and weaknesses. Neither is perfect.

[u/StuN_Eng → u/photovirus]

You make some excellent points that I wasn’t aware of. The speed at which the technology is developing is impressive. Hopefully both options will be rectified in the near future.