Sony video teases phones with 3D ToF cameras

Back in 2015 Sony acquired Belgium’s Softkinetic, which produced 3D Time of Flight cameras called DepthSense. Yesterday, Sony posted an image titled “Life with DepthSense”, which shows different possible applications for phones with 3D ToF cameras.

The first imagines 3D virtual graffiti, friends and family can leave you drawings and notes which you can explore and even walk through using your phone. The next concept (1 minute in) puts the ToF camera on the front for enhanced animated selfies.

There are entertainment opportunities too, like shooting robots with finger guns (1:15). Such a phone can also help you shop (1:50) by giving you the exact dimensions of things you’re considering (e.g. will my iPad fit in this handbag?).

We saw a report yesterday that claimed the Sony Xperia XZ4 will feature a 3D ToF camera, so the release of this video might not be coincidental.

Whatever “phone” was used in the video, its corners are much too rounded to be one of the current Xperias (it’s more than likely that this is just a dummy with some CGI magic).

Meanwhile, a leakster has been teasing the “Xperia α1” name in relation to a new phone camera. It promises 0.02s autofocus, which will be the fastest in the smartphone world (beating Sony’s current 0.03s AF) and real-time tracking.

This is related to the Sony a6400 mirrorless camera, which delivers 0.02s AF.

The specs of the Xperia XZ4 have leaked in detail, though we’re still not convinced about the 52MP sensor. We’ll find out for sure about this, α and the Time of Flight cameras on February 25.

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