iPhone 8 is expected to use a laser transmitter and receiver for advanced facial recognition, 3D mapping, augmented reality and other features. A Barrons report, citing analyst Jun Zhang with Rosenblatt Securities, suggests iPhone 8’s 3D sensing module is ready for mass production.
The analyst believes that a company called Viavi Solutions will build 150 million optical filter units for Apple in 2018. He said 3D sensing could be used for facial recognition on iPhone 8, potentially supporting simple gesture recognition in the front.
Furthermore, a 3D sensor for the rear camera should improve depth-of-field photography.
As we previously reported, other suppliers of 3D-sensing modules for iPhone 8 are said to include Largan, Lumentum and Finisar. In the analyst’s view, the adoption curve could ramp once the cost of 3D-sensing modules lowers to $10 per piece.
Viavi is one of the 3D-sensing market leaders.
iPhone 8 mockup via iDropNews.