If you think the leaks from Trump’s White House are revealing, they’ve got nothing on the secrets being spilled by Apple’s HomePod firmware.
The company released the code last to help developers get to grips with the forthcoming speaker. However, as an unexpected bonus, it is seemingly overflowing with information about the next iPhones.
Today, Portuguese site iHelp (via 9to5Mac) discovered the iPhone 8 may have 4K 60 frames-per-second cameras on both the front and rear of the device.
The code reportedly giving away the game is pretty self explanatory. It reads ‘CameraCapabilities isBack4k60VidepSupported’ and ‘CameraCapabilities isFront4k60VidepSupported’
That sounds pretty cut and dried, right?
If true, this would represent a major upgrade to both cameras from the iPhone 7.
The iPhone 7 and its larger Plus counterpart offer 4K video, but only at 30fps. The front-facing camera only offers 1080p video.
Related: Apple HomePod vs Amazon Echo
A leap to 60fps would enable much smoother video on both cameras, while jumping to 4K would greatly improve the fidelity of video shot with the selfie cam.
The extended camera capabilities could also help with Apple’ big augmented reality plans within the ARKit framework.
It’s also worth noting Apple is moving to the HEVC (H.265) codec with iOS 11. The tool compresses much more efficiently, while maintaining similar quality.
This would mean video 60fps video would have a lesser impact on storage space than it might have with the current H.264 tool.
Spilling the secrets?
Just yesterday we learned the iPhone 8 camera could offer artificially intelligent, real-time scene setting.
It also appears from the code that the iPhone 8 will arrive with an infrared face unlock feature.
If the code proves accurate, we’re looking forward to seeing Apple explain their inner workings at the launch event.
The iPhone 8 and the iPhone 7s range is likely to be unveiled at a special event in September. We’ll also see the final version of iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra.
A 4K version of the Apple TV set-top box could also be on the agenda.
Would these features nudge you towards an iPhone 8 purchase? Drop us a note @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
