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omglolbbq

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 31, 2016
64
505
When locating an AirTag you can see a blurred camera view in the background. It doesn’t appear that you can find using an AR style feature so why would it say “More light required”?
970F46FA-6173-4CDD-940A-3EA006334E58.png
 
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nguyen6323

macrumors newbie
Feb 12, 2014
24
16
Maybe its just to force you not to rely 100% on looking at the screen in pitch darkness looking for the lost item.
 

alee

macrumors 6502a
Jul 13, 2008
856
1,302
New York, NY
It may be using the camera to detect which way you move (similar to optical mice) in conjunction with accelerometers to track your motion more accurately for precision tracking
This is correct. Finding an AirTag uses ARKit, which relies on a number of different data inputs including the camera to track movement as you get closer to your tag.
 

iLoveDeveloping

Suspended
Sep 24, 2009
596
2,366
Ireland
But it isn't AR. The camera view is always blurred and you are still able to find the item in the dark despite the message.
This isn’t correct. They use ARKIT, so it is augmented reality. As the message above ?? indicates, the camera input is needed. Just a fact, is it really a big issue to turn on your phone light or room light?
 

FelixTheMatt

macrumors newbie
May 9, 2021
2
5
This isn’t correct. They use ARKIT, so it is augmented reality. As the message above ?? indicates, the camera input is needed. Just a fact, is it really a big issue to turn on your phone light or room light?
Why does it need light on the iPhone 12 Pro that has LiDAR which is more effective in the dark and what is AR for if the screen is blurred anyway? If you turn on the light. Really curious on what is the point or AR on finding an AirTag.
 
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haruhiko

macrumors 604
Sep 29, 2009
6,692
6,245
Why does it need light on the iPhone 12 Pro that has LiDAR which is more effective in the dark and what is AR for if the screen is blurred anyway? If you turn on the light. Really curious on what is the point or AR on finding an AirTag.
Exactly.
 

alee

macrumors 6502a
Jul 13, 2008
856
1,302
New York, NY
Why does it need light on the iPhone 12 Pro that has LiDAR which is more effective in the dark and what is AR for if the screen is blurred anyway? If you turn on the light. Really curious on what is the point or AR on finding an AirTag.
Right now ARKit requires the camera to be working, unobstructed and operating in good light. It is simply how it’s implemented - leveraging Apple’s existing tools. The LiDAR sensor is not that powerful and cannot judge space esp. outdoors, and so the world is constructed by a hybrid of camera data and LiDAR if that data is available.

It probably also leaves them room to do exact placement of the missing item on a camera view. If we were to speculate, all our Find My activity is probably training some advanced machine learning models to potentially find things through true AR.
 
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haruhiko

macrumors 604
Sep 29, 2009
6,692
6,245
Right now ARKit requires the camera to be working, unobstructed and operating in good light. It is simply how it’s implemented - leveraging Apple’s existing tools. The LiDAR sensor is not that powerful and cannot judge space esp. outdoors, and so the world is constructed by a hybrid of camera data and LiDAR if that data is available.

It probably also leaves them room to do exact placement of the missing item on a camera view. If we were to speculate, all our Find My activity is probably training some advanced machine learning models to potentially find things through true AR.
Hmmm having used some of the LiDAR apps I concur with your analysis. The range of the LiDAR signal is very short and is only suitable for indoor applications.
 
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