iPhone XS and iPhone XR also getting recording simultaneous video with multiple cameras

One of the many new features that Apple unveiled during its latest iPhone event, all in an effort to get people jazzed up for the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro, was recording simultaneous video with the multiple cameras installed in the handsets.

So if you are bummed out that you don’t get to use the feature because you don’t plan on upgrading this year, turns out there is still something to look forward to. During a Worldwide Developers Conference session regarding the new API introduced to support this specific feature, Apple said that they had to significantly tweak the hardware pipeline to prepare for recording simultaneous video with multiple cameras.

However, as was noted by 9to5Mac, the changes, and the support for the necessary API, have been made to the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and even the 2018 iPad Pro. The API makes it possible to start the session with multiple cameras while being aware of power consumption and general performance.

The best news here is that developers have been aware of this API and the multi-cam support for simultaneous video recording for months now. That means the app ecosystem for this feature has a real shot at being pretty robust in the months ahead.

There are some caveats, though. As you can see from the graph above, there are only certain combinations that will work, especially on the older handsets. The iPhone XS will support recording simultaneous video from the back wide and front-facing camera, the back wide and the back telephoto cameras, the back wide and front TrueDepth camera, back telephoto and front cameras, and finally the back telephoto and front TrueDepth.

For iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro owners, this is one of the more exciting elements coming to Apple’s newest flagships. However, it’s potentially even better news for owners of 2018 model iPhones as they’ll be getting one of the most exciting new features without having to fork over the money to get a brand new phone.

All of this is possible thanks to the incoming iOS 13, which is set to go live for all customers beginning Thursday, September 19.

If you own the iPhone XR or iPhone XS, does the inclusion of this feature make the decision not to upgrade easier?