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iPad Pro Has anyone actually used the LiDAR scanner yet?
- Thread starter Seanm87
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It speeds up augmented reality apps and games but I really wanted a decent room scanning app for my house.
I found it to be really neat. It makes AR games much better than they were before the LiDAR scanner.
I used the tech demos and they were an amusing novelties. I can see the room for great growth potential, but AR is not there yet.
I use the measure app from time to time. Became very accurate with the LIDAR
Same. The Measure app was surprising accurate and repsonsive to different surfaces. i was measuring the corners of my ceiling in a dimlly lit room with no issues at all and it could detect the different sides of a corner instantly.
I used it once with the Canvas app to scan my son’s room. It’s very useful for getting accurate measurements of things and get room dimensions and stuff. That being said, most of the time I forget it’s even there, and it is definitely NOT one of the reasons I upgraded.
I told a friend I have a lidar scanner. She wasn't impressed.
It has probably the best feature I've ever seen lol
Open the Measure App - point the iPad at somebody so they are in full-frame - and voila!
You now know exactly how tall they are. Seriously the best thing I've ever seen.
Used it 2 times. Haven't used it since.
Open the Measure App - point the iPad at somebody so they are in full-frame - and voila!
You now know exactly how tall they are. Seriously the best thing I've ever seen.
Used it 2 times. Haven't used it since.
It's not really a new feature, just a feature improvement. All it does is make AR more solid as it's providing 3D points to track, rather than calculating based on a 2D image.
So when using it with something like Adobe Aero, I find it rock solid, the model sticks to the surface and you can run around with the iPad, the model doesn't move an inch. This is quite nice when showing something to a client, it removes the tiny jitters and almost 'Demo' tech feel the previous AR had.
So basically anything that uses AR just gets improved for a more stable experience, then it's quicker to track and setup, and works better in varying light conditions.
So when using it with something like Adobe Aero, I find it rock solid, the model sticks to the surface and you can run around with the iPad, the model doesn't move an inch. This is quite nice when showing something to a client, it removes the tiny jitters and almost 'Demo' tech feel the previous AR had.
So basically anything that uses AR just gets improved for a more stable experience, then it's quicker to track and setup, and works better in varying light conditions.
I agree. I work for an engineering company. My main job is to design piping, steel, concrete, etc. in a 3D model using CAD. We use 3D scanning all the time in order to collect as-built information from the clients. Using the technology is much faster and saves a lot of money. It allows you do collect millions of data points from a single location. You move once you’ve collected the data to another spot, scan, then the software will do all of the stitching together for you.
While I admit the technology in the iPad (or rumored in the iPhone) will never match a $60,000 - $100,000 scanner, the possibility that you are able to scan even a small area or object without spending hundreds of thousands of dollars is extremely exciting.
There are many types of 'pros'. Regardless, I think the LIDAR scanner appeals to a small subset of users. Nice to have, but not enough to warrant an upgrade, especially if you're coming from a 2018 iPad Pro.
I'm just surprised Apple kind of threw it out there without much fanfare or use case demonstrations.
I'm just surprised Apple kind of threw it out there without much fanfare or use case demonstrations.
I definitely agree with this. I have a 2018 iPad Pro and have no intention to upgrade. Since the pandemic started I haven’t been out in the field like I was before. Also, carrying around an iPad to a job site is not convenient. If the technology comes with the next iPhone I will definitely be upgrading just for the LiDAR.
I’m also surprised Apple didn‘t highlight this technology more. The capabilities of LiDAR Apple could have showcased would be very appealing.
People have theorized the iPad‘S LIDAR scanner is a trial run for the tech, in preparation for the rumored AR glasses. If so, that could explain its low profile announcement.
I feel like apple had an event planned for March due to all the stuff that came out earlier this year, but had to cancel due to the pandemic. I imagine they would have showcased the LiDar scanner then.
It’d probably be MUCH more useful in our iPhones as those are typically joined at our hips or asses.
Having said that, the tech is great and I can’t wait to see what developers come up with to make it more of a mainstream feature.
Having said that, the tech is great and I can’t wait to see what developers come up with to make it more of a mainstream feature.
I think that's really what it's all about. There's a lot of evidence to suggest Apple is definitely coming out with some kind of smart glasses in the not-so-distant future. I'm sure LiDAR will make its way to iPhone this year or next year, and I'm sure that it will ship with the gen 1 glasses too. This is all about getting the tech out there in the hands of developers. They had to mention it as a new feature as part of the new camera array on the iPad Pro, but it's really more a matter of them laying the groundwork for the future. The timing, I'll admit, is a little weird. It seems very random that it landed on the iPad Pro first.
They don’t even have an app for it. By the time it becomes useful most of us would have moved on to the next ipad model, never have really using the Lidar. I didn’t buy my ipad for it or really care. I needed a new laptop/IPad and bought the newest one. I don‘t regret my purchase or really care about the lidar scanner. I am probably correct in saying that 99.999999% of people wold have never of used it for anything beneficial Before they all become recycled tech.
