IPhone 12 was again reported to come with LiDAR scanner

LiDAR is poised to see “increasing penetration into consumer electronics,” catalyzed by the upcoming iPhone 12, according to a new report from DigiTimes.

LiDAR, which stands for “light and range sensing,” first appeared in Apple’s product lineup on the 2020 iPad Pro. The technology was used primarily in the automotive industry before it made its way to wearable consumer technology products. Manufacturers of LiDAR components are reported to be benefiting from the proliferation of scanning technology.

LiDAR can measure distances by illuminating the target with laser light and measuring the reflection with a sensor. This data can then be used to make accurate 3D representations of an object or environment, and can significantly enhance augmented reality experiences.

The report predicts that LiDAR is expected to be increasingly adopted for consumer electronics applications in the coming years, fueled by the fact that Apple will purportedly “incorporate the technology into some of its new iPhone models.” Although the DigiTimes The report does not explicitly state that LiDAR will specifically reach ‌iPhone 12‌ Pro models, it seems likely that this is the implicit meaning of the report’s claim that the feature will not reach all new ‌iPhone‌ models.

The scanner has been rumored to appear on the back of the iPhone 12 Pro for some time. Some leaks have suggested that the LiDAR scanner will only come to the 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro, but others have claimed that the feature will come to the 6.1 and 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro models. The less expensive 5.4-inch and 6.1-inch lessiPhone 12‌ models are said to lack the LiDAR scanner, and the technology is considered a “professional” feature.

Last week, screenshots allegedly from an early production unit of the iPhone 12 Pro showed settings for LiDAR functionality.