In recent iPhone releases, Apple’s camera features have struck a fine balance between the professional and the fun. Alongside Portrait Mode, Portrait Lighting, TimeLapse and 4K video, the company has introduced light-hearted features like stickers, filters and Animoji within FaceTime. However, the next major feature looks like it could fall into the latter category.
Apple has reportedly acquired Spektral, a Danish company that makes an app specialising in cut-out images and videos. The tool enables users to isolate elements of images, such as people, and remove the backgrounds.The app then makes it possible to place that isolate object atop new backgrounds.
So, think of it as a green screen without the need for a green screen. With this tech sitting within the iPhone camera, users could transport themselves from their living room, to a beach, for example. Or potentially add themselves to another world via augmented reality.
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Here’s how the company explains its tech: “Our pioneering and unique technology is based on state-of-the-art machine learning and computer vision techniques. Combining deep neural networks and spectral graph theory with the computing power of modern GPUs, our engine can process images and video from the camera in real-time (60 FPS) directly on the device.”
As well as boosting the camera options and serving up more options for iPhone users, This could tie neatly into Apple’s augmented reality ambitions, especially with the newly-launched ARKit 2.0 sitting within iOS 12. The acquisition could tie into Apple’s reported plans to launch an augmented reality headset by 2020.
News of the acquisition of the company, which previously went by the name CloudCutOut, comes from Danish newspaper Borsen (via SlashGear). Apple has not commented on the report, as is custom.
Do you think Apple will build this feature into future versions of the iPhone camera? Or do you think this purchase has been made with the AR headset in mind? Let us know @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.
