Apple Is Rumored To Upgrade iPhone's Cameras With AI

Apple has reportedly acquired a startup focusing on cameras with technologies that can help the iPhones take crisper and more accurate videos and photos.

The said startup is based in the UK and called Spectral Edge. It is the result of machine learning research at the University of East Anglia. What the company owns is not only relevant to Apple’s camera phones, but also to the making of autonomous vehicles.

In the last few years, cameras have become more of a deciding factor when consumers pick a smartphone. Apple definitely knows about this and much like many other companies like it, the iPhone maker has spent a lot of investment and effort into improving the quality of images. The race is now beyond simply adding sensors with a higher resolution.

What these companies are focusing on is image processing. A prime example will be iPhone 11 lineup’s Deep Fusion launched earlier this year. What it does is to make use of machine learning to combine the best features taken from multiple shots captured in quick succession. What users have is images with better contrast and more details than regular photos.

Despite the great developments in this particular respect, we are still at the infant stage of applying neural networks and machine learning to photography. And with this move to acquire Spectral Edge, Apple is obviously hoping to get ahead of the competition. Apple has not yet commented anything on this latest deal, but many believe that the company would rather keep the acquisition as discreet as possible.

Spectral Edge’s technologies have a broad range of practical applications. The most expected benefit is better videos and photos by using machine learning to bring out more clarity, details, and colors.

What the tech does is to blend data picked up by regular cameras with an infrared view of that same scene. The whole thing works based on the ability of the IR camera to capture more details in low0light conditions. This can also enhance skin tone in portrait photos.

As Apple is the one who designs the iPhone’s cameras, it has every right to add an IR camera to the handheld devices releasing in the future. However, as stated by Spectral Edge, this technology can be useful when used in other software.

The benefit brought by the startup’s tech goes far beyond better photos for iPhones. It can help to improve the capacity of self-driving vehicles’ cameras, webcams, and drones. Apple is reportedly developing its own autonomous vehicles but its effort has not yet resulted in any commercial models. Many believe that the iPhone maker is working on software that automakers can deploy on their cars.

Another focus of Spectral Edge is on the display. What it can do is to handle the deficiencies of color vision, reduce blue light, and enhance the accessibility of content. The company has developed a night mode that can yield photos with natural skin tones and quality remained, all while being easy on human eyes.

The technology sounds great on papers but we may have to wait and see how many of these applications can survive the production.

As the competition is getting fiercer between smartphone makers, investing top dollars into technology that makes use of neural engine network to ensure better quality photos seems like a viable solution.

Other leaks claimed that Apple is working on 3D cameras for its new iPads and iPhones, which might be launched in 2020, which will enable AR and other features.