Apple Spatial Video Capture Introduced on iPhone 15 Pro Series

Smartphone Filmmaking

by Jose PradaDecember 12^th, 2023

The new iPhone 15 Pro series keeps growing as a filmmaking tool as Apple adds new features. This time, the company introduced the ability to shoot spatial videos. Let’s see what this new feature is all about!

With the introduction of the iPhone 15 Pro and Apple Log ProRes recording, it’s time to take phones as filmmaking devices seriously – we have even performed the CineD Lab Test with the new iPhone 15 Pro, read and watch it here in case you missed it. Now, Apple is taking the phone’s filming ability even a step further.

3D films have been out there for a while now. With a history of more than a century, these films have never replaced traditional ones, primarily because of production costs and the requirement for additional equipment such as 3D glasses for viewing. In the 50s, and especially by the end of the century, 3D films were resurrected again thanks to IMAX movie theatres. Some movies like Avatar were undoubtedly successful, but once again, 3D films faded and today are still considered a niche and an experimental movie form. 

Spatial videos with a smartphone

But times change, technology evolves, and in 2023, we have access to virtual reality glasses. Thanks to Apple, we now have a device in our pocket that can film spatial video. The everyday user is now able to make 3D movies.

To use this new feature, available on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, we first enable it in Apple settings. Then, we can record spatial videos in 1080p and 30 frames per second in the standard dynamic range. HEVC compression is used to process the files and keep them within a manageable file size. How does the iPhone shoot spatial videos? Well, it uses the main and ultra-wide cameras in landscape orientation – the ultra-wide matches the main lens’s field of view automatically. Then, when tapping the spatial video icon and recording, both lenses start recording video that will be saved into a single video file. Apple recommends shooting steadily and with good lighting conditions for best results.

When we watch these videos on an iPhone, they look like the usual 2D videos that can be stored, shared, and synced via iCloud. The magic will happen when we use Apple Vision Pro, where we will be able to watch the files in a window or in an immersive view that offers the whole experience. 

Price and availability

The spatial video feature is available with the iOS 17.2 update, but the Vision Pro will not be available until 2024. Has Apple launched this feature now to allow users to record their 2023 Christmas memories in 3D? Considering the expected price for the Vision Pro, it looks like spatial videos will remain in the same reduced 3D film niche, at least for some time. But let’s see what happens.

What do you think about the spatial video feature? Is it something you would use to shoot your videos? Let us know in the comments!