TikTok unveils first AR filter with iPhone 12 Pro's LiDAR camera

Tikok has released its first augmented reality (AR) filter that uses iPhone 12 Pros LiDAR camera. The filter utilises the iPhone 12 Pro's LiDAR sensor that helps improve AR experiences by enabling apps to more quickly see and recognise the room around them.

The AR effect is a 2021 ball drop over your head to celebrate the New Year, with TikTok promising to "develop more innovative effects in 2021."

"To ring in 2021 we released our first AR effect on the new iPhone 12 Pro, using LiDAR technology which allows us to create effects that interact with your environment - visually bridging the digital and physical worlds," TikTok said in a tweet.

Snapchat added support for Apple's LIDAR sensor in October, updating its Lens Studio to enable creators to build their own Lenses utilising LiDAR detection.

First appeared in the latest generation iPad Pro in March last year, a state-of-the-art LiDAR scanner means users can experience AR like never before, and also offers benefits to the camera with faster autofocus in low light and the introduction of Night mode portraits.

The all-new LiDAR Scanner on iPhone 12 Pro offers the ability to measure light distance and use pixel depth information of a scene.

This technology delivers faster, more realistic AR experiences and improves autofocus by 6x in low-light scenes for more accuracy and reduced capture time in photos and videos.