New video shows what the iPad Pro's LIDAR scanner is capable of

This is really sick!! I can't wait to get my hands on this iPad Pro, good thing I waited last year going from 2017 iPad Pro 10.5 to last year's model. The LIDAR is a real game-changer as AR/VR meet worlds. I play a ton of games in VR and always wondering how I can bring real spaces into virtual reality. This is one step closer!

Wow. The potential uses of this technology are bounded only by human imagination. About the only challenge I see is that holding the iPad Pro looks a bit uncomfortable. I’d imagine you could use a tripod system, maybe one with a stabilized gimbal, or even a motorized gimbal, that can be used to capture a 360 degree 3D model of a space or scene. Putting this technology into a iPad Mini would be awesome. 

Is this really relevant to the mainstream though? 

spheric said:

Is this really relevant to the mainstream though? 

I’m not knocking the tech; I’m asking because I have not seen any use case example so far that is at all relevant to my personal experience. 

It’s nice to be able to see the new Mac Pro in VR sitting on the bathroom floor, but beyond that, the technology hasn’t enriched my life. 

Gaming I get, home improvement and 3D models, I get — but those really aren’t mass interests, are they? 

Have you seen how popular IKEA is? Have you been to one on a weekend? Potentially every time every person or family visits one is a session or sessions of using AR beforehand to help decide which piece of furniture to buy. The entire high tech industry has been built on “we don’t know all that folks will use this for yet”. The Apple Watch wasn’t initially introduced as a health device. Right now it requires an iPad or iPhone to use as a “universe window” (props to the tv show ”Fringe”), but a whole new set of uses become available when it’s more passive (glasses, for example).

spheric said:

Is this really relevant to the mainstream though? 

I’m not knocking the tech; I’m asking because I have not seen any use case example so far that is at all relevant to my personal experience. 

It’s nice to be able to see the new Mac Pro in VR sitting on the bathroom floor, but beyond that, the technology hasn’t enriched my life. 

Gaming I get, home improvement and 3D models, I get — but those really aren’t mass interests, are they? 

I'm with you on this and have been saying for years that the tech is cool. "See what the developers do", is the usual line. Well, I'm still waiting. Sure there are a few apps that utilize ARKit but even fewer do it well. The on-stage demos are always neat but that's almost as far as it goes. As far as gaming is concerned (or that model of Apple Park in that allow an iPad to get more detail using ARKit), I don't see how playing a game that looks like it is on my dining room table can't be played basically the same without the AR view. What does the AR view do to complement the game?

godofbiscuits said:

spheric said:

Is this really relevant to the mainstream though? 

I’m not knocking the tech; I’m asking because I have not seen any use case example so far that is at all relevant to my personal experience. 

It’s nice to be able to see the new Mac Pro in VR sitting on the bathroom floor, but beyond that, the technology hasn’t enriched my life. 

Gaming I get, home improvement and 3D models, I get — but those really aren’t mass interests, are they? 

Have you seen how popular IKEA is? Have you been to one on a weekend? Potentially every time every person or family visits one is a session or sessions of using AR beforehand to help decide which piece of furniture to buy. The entire high tech industry has been built on “we don’t know all that folks will use this for yet”. The Apple Watch wasn’t initially introduced as a health device. Right now it requires an iPad or iPhone to use as a “universe window” (props to the tv show ”Fringe”), but a whole new set of uses become available when it’s more passive (glasses, for example).

You're right, tons of people go to IKEA. Aside from the fact that, outside of tech circles, I have never heard anyone mention AR on their phone or iPad, most people don't even know the functionality exists to preview furniture in their home. 

I think the point @spheric is trying to make is that nothing you or this article mentions is driving mass market demand. Do you know of anyone who has said something along the lines of, "Holy cow! Have you seen the AR preview of furniture in IKEA's app?!?! I need to get a new iPhone because I want to do that!!" I haven't. On the other hand, it is not uncommon at all when a new iPhone gets released that I hear people say they want the new camera capabilities. I don't have any hard facts but I'd be willing to bet that significantly more people purchased a new iPhone for the camera than they did to be able to have ARKit 2.

I agree with you that all this ARKit stuff is just setting the foundation for glasses, in-car HUD-type things or something else that hasn't been leaked. Doing most of these things with an iPhone or iPad is just too cumbersome, which is why we don't see people doing it or lots of apps coming out with AR.