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Apple's iPhone 12 Pro LiDAR camera brought a 500% increase in 3D scanning accuracy

By Daniel Petrov

Updated: Jul 06, 2021, 8:23 AM

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Back when Apple announced the new LiDAR scanner on the back of the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max, it marked the first time such a feature was introduced on the iPad before the iPhone. After all, not everyone would want to scan their surroundings and then work with the resulting 3D image on the puny display of their iPhones.

Well, after acquainting the public with what such a longer range scanning camera can do, Apple put its hope into 3rd party LiDAR app developers, placed the hardware in the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max to set them apart from the plebeian 12, and introduced system level 3D-scanning support in iOS 14.

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That actually made a huge difference in the usability of the new scanning system, claim the creators of the Canvas room-scanning app. They are now supporting both LiDAR-less iPhones, and the 12 Pro/Max, and say that the equipment makes a huge difference in the quality and precision of the 3D scans. How much of a difference?

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Well, how about 5x. That's right, the Canvas app makers have run the numbers, and say that not only is the LiDAR-derived scan with an iPhone 12 Pro accurate within a 1% range, compared to 5% for a scan from another iPhone, but that it is also better than one with the iPad Pro, thanks to the deeper iOS 14 integration with the LiDAR hardware. There you have it, and the use of the iPhone's portable 3D space scanning abilities has barely begun.

If you are using Canvas with a LiDAR-enabled iPad or iPhone (includes most Pro models launched since 2020), or with an iPad and Structure Sensor, most measurements should be within 1-2% of what's verified manually with a tape measure, laser distance meter, or existing blueprint.

If you are using Canvas without any kind of 3D sensor, most measurements are likely to be within ~5% of what's manually verified via similar methods, but you may find some measurements outside of that range.

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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena since 2010, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.