What's the difference between 3D video and spatial video?

Asked on 2024-07-29

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The difference between 3D video and spatial video lies in their presentation and the sense of immersion they provide:

  1. 3D Video:

    • Presentation: 3D videos are rendered on a flat screen but have depth due to their stereoscopic nature. This means that moments in the video can appear to pop out of the screen or recede into it.
    • Experience: They are similar to 3D movies available in apps like Apple TV and Disney, where the content is viewed on a flat display but with a depth effect.

  2. Spatial Video:

    • Presentation: Spatial videos are designed to be viewed through a window with a faint glow around the edges and custom playback controls. This enhances the sense of depth and softens some common sources of discomfort.
    • Experience: They are more immersive than 3D videos. When viewed on devices like Vision Pro and iPhone 15 Pro, spatial videos can make the viewer feel like they are inside the content, not just looking at it. The content blends seamlessly into the real world, providing a more compelling and comfortable viewing experience.

For more details, you can refer to the session Build compelling spatial photo and video experiences (00:00:53).

Optimize for the spatial web

Optimize for the spatial web

Discover how to make the most of visionOS capabilities on the web. Explore recent updates like improvements to selection highlighting, and the ability to present spatial photos and panorama images in fullscreen. Learn to take advantage of existing web standards for dictation and text-to-speech with WebSpeech, spatial soundscapes with WebAudio, and immersive experiences with WebXR.

Build compelling spatial photo and video experiences

Build compelling spatial photo and video experiences

Learn how to adopt spatial photos and videos in your apps. Explore the different types of stereoscopic media and find out how to capture spatial videos in your iOS app on iPhone 15 Pro. Discover the various ways to detect and present spatial media, including the new QuickLook Preview Application API in visionOS. And take a deep dive into the metadata and stereo concepts that make a photo or video spatial.