Cover photo by ICHIHO
Apple's newly introduced 'Spatial Photos' offer a next-generation photography experience that transcends traditional 2D photos by allowing memories to be experienced in 3D space. Utilizing technologies like Vision Pro and the iPhone 16 series, 'Spatial Photos' merge visual and emotional elements, evolving photography from a flat medium to a tool that vividly brings memories to life. In this article, we delve into the allure and future of spatial photos.
The New Form of Memory Created by Spatial Photos
Apple's 'Spatial Photos' recreate captured moments in 3D, offering an experience akin to returning to the original scene. Della Huff, Apple's camera app manager, states, 'Our brains store memories in 3D, so spatial photos have a deeper ability to evoke memories compared to 2D photos or videos.'
This technology allows old photos to be enjoyed from new perspectives, bringing family memories and travel moments vividly back to life.
The Technology Enabling Spatial Photo Capture and Experience
Currently, capturing spatial photos is possible with the latest updates on the iPhone 16 series and iPhone 15 Pro, making it easy to take 'memory photos' that connect visually and emotionally.
Additionally, viewing spatial photos with Vision Pro provides an immersive experience, allowing users to feel as if they are returning to the moment captured, especially with the feature that spatializes past photos. This technology emphasizes the reality of photos without AI intervention, faithfully recreating 'moments as they are.'
Shaping the Future of Photography with a Spatial Ecosystem
Apple is investing significant resources to evolve photos and videos into next-generation spatial media. By supporting spatial content not only on the latest models of Vision Pro and iPhone but also on the Safari browser, a future where spatial photos and videos can be enjoyed on the internet is on the horizon. Billy Sorrentino from the design team states, 'Spatial photos symbolize the future of photography, and we see immense potential in this new dimension of expression.'
