The Center Stage camera feature was one of the highlights of the newly released M1-Powered iPad Pro (11-inch and 12.9-inch). It uses the new 12MP (122o FOV) ultra-wide front-facing TrueDepth camera on the new iPad Pro models coupled with the machine learning (ML) capabilities provided by Apple’s M1 chip to allow the user or multiple users go hands-free and move around during video calls by always keeping them in frame.
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Center Stage automatically pans to keep the user within frame as they move around and zooms out to fit everybody into the frame when more users join in. The feature can be likened to the tracking camera on Facebook’s Portal TV, which also pans and zooms to keep people in frame and Amazon’s Echo Show 10, which uses its rotating screen (up to 350o) to follow the user around during video calls or keep the groups of users within its field on view in frame during these calls.
Read More: Apple M1 vs A14 Bionic: How Do They Compare
Is Center Stage Exclusive To FaceTime?
Despite initial fears that the feature is exclusive to pre-installed Apple apps such as FaceTime, the company confirmed that the feature is compatible with other video conferencing apps such as Microsoft Teams, Webex, and Zoom. There are chances that an API framework for third-party apps could make its debut at the upcoming WWDC, according to MacRumors.
Is Center Stage Available On Older iPad Pro Models?
Center Stage is currently only available to the newly released M1-Powered iPad Pro (2021) models due to hardware changes. The latest models replace the 7MP wide-angle front camera with a new 12MP ultra-wide angle camera with wider field-of-view. Also, the new M1 chip offers significant boost in machine learning capabilities not available on the A12Z Bionic, A12X Bionic, and other chips used by previous generation iPad Pro models.