iPhone 16 Enhances Vision Pro Experience with Spatial Photos

The Apple Vision Pro took a backseat to the new iPhone 16 lineup reveal during Apple’s September iPhone event, but the company’s latest iPhones offer enhanced Vision Pro capabilities. In addition to a dedicated camera button, the iPhone 16 got a significant photography-centric upgrade. It can now capture 3D spatial photos and videos with its differently-oriented twin rear cameras. While the entire new lineup can shoot additional spatial content, iPhone 16 Pro has spatial photo/video recording in addition to 3D spatial audio recording. These new features mean better, more immersive content for Vision Pro owners. 

The iPhone 15 Pro already supports spatial video capture, but not photos. The iPhone 16 and 16 Pro can do both. The camera orientation now puts both cameras on the same plane, meaning they’re evenly spaced for landscape shots. (Much like the iPhone 15 Pro, spatial photos and videos can’t be recorded vertically.)

Looking to preorder the latest Apple devices? We’re rounding up the best iPhone 16, Apple Watch Series 10 and AirPods 4 deals at launch.

At least more iPhones will work for recording 3D content, but so few people own Vision Pros that it’s still unclear how anyone else will be able to appreciate the immersive 3D photos and videos without a $3,500 spatial computer. Meta’s Quest headsets can also display Apple’s spatial videos and hopefully, it will also work with spatial photos.

At some point, Apple could have a more affordable Vision headset. When that happens, expect Apple’s iPhone camera recording technology to evolve even further, with more benefits for spatial audio/video capture. None of Apple’s current iPhone 3D recording capabilities approach the immersive video format Apple records with specialty high-end Blackmagic cameras, but I’m very curious how new features might continue to creep into future iPhone camera updates year over year.

For more, read about everything Apple announced at its September event.