The iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max lets users instantly measure someone’s height using AR, thanks to the newly-added LiDAR scanner equipped on the new pro models.
The feature is available in Apple’s Measure app, and uses LiDAR-enhanced AR to measure the height of any person standing in-frame. You can measure to the top of their hat, head or hair, and it even works with people who are sitting down in a chair too.
The feature is only available for the high-end iPhone 12 Pro or 12 Pro Max models. The standard iPhone 12 and the upcoming iPhone 12 Mini do have AR capabilities, but do not include the LiDAR scanner which enhances AR functionality. The omission of the height measuring feature on the standard and mini models suggest that the LiDAR sensor is the missing ingredient on those phones.
When using the Measure app on a 12 Pro or 12 Pro Max, the feature should work automatically — all you have to do is position the phone’s camera so that the person you’re measuring appears in-frame from head to toe. After that, an AR overlay should soon appear with a line marking the top of the person’s head and their measure height. You can tap the photo button in the bottom right to take a screenshot of the measurement, accessible anytime in your photo library.
With the inclusion of the LiDAR sensor, this measurement feature is just one of many expected advancements for AR on iPhone 12 Pro models. “iPhone 12 Pro uses a LiDAR Scanner to measure how long it takes light to reflect back from objects,” Apple explains on its website. “So it can create a depth map of whatever space you’re in. Because it’s ultrafast and accurate, AR apps can now transform a room into a realistic rainforest or show you how a new sneaker will fit.”
You can read more about the height measurement feature here.
