Apple files patent for auto diffusing flash tech for improved low light shots

Apple iPhones might arrive with a new flash technology in the near future. The company has recently filed for a patent for an auto diffusing flash module, which would enable improved photography during low light scenarios.

According to some media reports, the Cupertino-based giant might be working on a new flash technology that could help its iPhone’s performance in night scenes. Generally, using flash in low light scenes tends to over illuminate the subject in an image and the result can even be a flattened shot, which would also suffer from a white tint and lack of depth. So, while it is usually used sparingly, there are times when one has to use the flash.

As per the report, the patent shows that it is for a “Light source module with adjustable focus.” This implies that the flash mechanism can be altered or adjusted depending on the subject being photographed. While the patent does not mention the word LiDAR, it does mention “auto-focus information from the camera.” Furthermore, the patent also indicates that the new flash will rely on the iPhone camera to calculate distances to different objects within the frame.

The patent also stresses that this tech can be applied to cameras in various different types of devices, which includes “larger electronic device, including a mobile electronic device, which can include a mobile telephone, smartphone, notebook, etc.” It further adds that the flash would feature a “light source module [that] includes an illumination element and an adjustable light diffusing material.”

This module may be made from “a polymer-stabilized cholesteric texture (PSCT), a smectic phase liquid crystal, a polymer network liquid crystal (PNLC), or other suitable material.”