Tag Archives: apple

Apple Built a Custom iPhone-Based Camera to Film Inside Real F1 Cars

For its upcoming Formula One film, Apple engineered a custom camera module using iPhone components to capture cinematic-quality footage from inside F1 cars—without affecting performance.

Traditional F1 broadcast cameras are low-res and optimized for live TV. But director Joseph Kosinski and cinematographer Claudio Miranda wanted more. Apple’s solution: a camera module built to look like a standard F1 broadcast unit but powered by iPhone internals—including a 48MP sensor (likely from the iPhone 15 Pro), an A-series chip, battery, and neutral density filter.

The module matched F1 broadcast gear in size, shape, and weight to preserve the car’s aerodynamics and balance. It also withstood extreme shock, vibration, and heat during the 2023 and 2024 racing seasons—meeting and exceeding Formula One’s durability standards.

Footage was recorded in ProRes Log format for maximum post-production flexibility. A custom version of iOS ran the system, with a USB-C iPad app giving filmmakers full manual control—frame rate, white balance, shutter angle, and more.

The project directly influenced consumer features. Log encoding and ACES color support—both used in the module—later appeared in the iPhone 15 Pro.

While iPhones are rarely used solo on film sets, Apple is increasingly blending pro filmmaking needs into its hardware development. Other companies like Samsung and Sony have shot films on phones, but Apple’s F1 module marks a new level of integration—embedding iPhone tech in a rugged, race-tested system built for Hollywood-grade results.

Apple’s iOS 26 Brings Changes to Imaging Experience, Camera APP and Photos

Apple’s new design overhaul brings an update to the Camera app in iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe 26, making everyday photography feel more immersive and intuitive. The redesigned UI prioritizes easy reach for core controls while minimizing distractions. Buttons, sliders, and toggles now live within a refined control layer that adapts as you frame shots or switch modes. In the app, navigation and tools morph fluidly to stay out of the way until you need them, keeping the focus squarely on capturing the moment. New gestures streamline access to pro tools, and the layout now curves with the edges of modern displays for a more cohesive, hardware-conscious experience. 

Possibly one of the most disliked upgrade for users was the redesigned Photos App in iOS 18, which now gets a much needed redesign. The new Photos app in iOS 26 complements the new Camera experience with a cleaner, more fluid interface. Browsing feels faster and more immersive, with dynamic transitions and updated navigation that responds to how you interact. Albums are easier to organize, search is more intelligent, and editing tools are now grouped more intuitively. Built with the new Liquid Glass design language, every element — from buttons to background panels — subtly reflects your content and surroundings, creating a photo viewing experience that’s as rich and expressive as the memories it holds.

Apple also debuted the new Liquid Glass interface – which is a translucent, responsive material that shapes the entire experience, refracting surrounding content and reflecting your environment in real time. Liquid Glass marks a leap in UI design for Apple, making interactions in the Camera & photos app across Apple’s platforms more alive, tactile, and visually rich.

This update will be available from iPhone 11 onwards (Apple Intelligence updates available only on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 series phones). The Developer version of iOS 26 is now made available and the Public Beta will be available from July with the final version coming out in Fall this year.

Here’s how you enable iOS BETA on your iPhone: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0gFj34_t7KU