In short
The TrueDepth camera has equipped certain iPhone and iPad models since 2017, initially for Face ID. It projects a grid of infrared dots to reconstruct a depth map, offering better resolution than LiDAR but a shorter range (roughly 15 cm to 1 m). Reliable for close-range scanning, it remains limited to Apple devices with Face ID, requires a mirror accessory for stable professional use, and doesn’t offer cross-platform compatibility. For professional 3D scanning aimed at O&P or medical compression, mobile photogrammetry offers a more stable, cross-platform solution that doesn’t rely on a specific sensor.
What is the TrueDepth camera?
The TrueDepth camera is a sensor system developed by Apple, built into the front of certain iPhone and iPad models since 2017. It was originally designed for facial recognition with Face ID.
The system combines an infrared camera, a dot projector, and a proximity sensor. It captures the depth of a scene with a level of detail beyond that of a standard camera.
Thanks to this technology, the TrueDepth camera isn’t limited to facial recognition: it can also produce a 3D model of a face or a body area at close range.
How does TrueDepth scanning work?
TrueDepth scanning relies on a structured light technique: a projector emits a grid of around 30,000 infrared dots onto the scanned area, and a dedicated infrared camera reads the distortion of that grid to calculate the distance of each point.
The 3 steps of a TrueDepth scan
Step 1: infrared dot projection
The projector casts a grid of invisible infrared dots onto the area to be scanned (face, hand, foot…).
Step 2: reading the depth map
The infrared camera captures the distortion of the projected pattern and calculates the distance of each point, generating a detailed depth map.
Step 3: 3D model generation
The data is assembled to produce a 3D model, including the volumes, textures, and colors of the scanned area.
What is the TrueDepth camera used for?
The TrueDepth camera has played a major role in making 3D capture from a smartphone mainstream. It’s used today for:
- facial recognition (Face ID);
- animated avatars (Animoji, Memoji);
- augmented reality applications;
- one-off morphological capture (face, hand, foot) for certain health and custom-fit use cases.
Is the TrueDepth camera suited to professional use?
Several constraints limit the large-scale professional use of the TrueDepth camera:
- Limited compatibility: only iPhone and iPad models with Face ID (starting with the iPhone X) have this sensor.
- Front-facing sensor: unlike LiDAR or mobile photogrammetry, which use the rear camera, TrueDepth requires positioning the screen facing the area to be scanned — which calls for a mirror accessory as soon as the face or hands aren’t enough to frame the screen directly.
- Professional use requires an accessory: a mirror mount is generally needed for a usable TrueDepth scan in a professional setting, since the front camera wasn’t originally designed for this use case.
In practice, the TrueDepth camera remains relevant for close, one-off captures, but is poorly suited to use without a mirror accessory or to a cross-platform deployment.
LiDAR, TrueDepth, Structure Sensor, mobile photogrammetry: how do they compare?
No discussion of professional 3D scanning is complete without mentioning the Structure Sensor, a long-standing reference in the industry. Like TrueDepth, it relies on infrared-assisted stereoscopy, but it’s a distinct sensor: an independent hardware accessory, developed by Structure, that attaches to an iPad.
| Criteria | LiDAR (iPhone/iPad Pro) | TrueDepth (iPhone and iPad with Face ID) | Structure Sensor (iPad accessory) | Mobile photogrammetry (iOS and Android) |
| Principle | Time of flight (ToF) | Infrared-assisted stereoscopy | Infrared-assisted stereoscopy | Image processing via algorithms |
| Sensor type | Built into the device (Pro models only) | Built into the device (front camera) | Dedicated accessory, independent of the smartphone | No dedicated sensor: standard rear camera |
| Compatibility | iPhone Pro / iPad Pro | iPhone and iPad with Face ID | iPad | iOS and Android smartphones and tablets |
| Accessoire requis | None | Mirror, for professional use | Sensor attached via a bracket | None |
| Resolution | Low (~256×192 px) | Medium (~640×480 px) | High (up to 1040×1200 px) | Medium to high (configurable) |
| Applications | Large spaces, bulky objects | Human body, clinical use | Human body, clinical use | Human body, clinical use |
To go further, see our dedicated articles on LiDAR scanning and mobile photogrammetry.
Is the TrueDepth camera suitable for medical and O&P use?
For orthotists, prosthetists, podiatrists, and other custom medical device professionals, a 3D scan needs to meet specific requirements: mobility, no heavy equipment, simple deployment, field compatibility, and reliable data collection.
The TrueDepth camera can work well for targeted captures: a face for custom glasses or a helmet, a foot for an orthopedic insole. For scanning larger areas like a torso or a full leg — relevant, for example, when designing ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs), supramalleolar orthoses (SMOs), or spinal braces — a mirror is needed, since the TrueDepth camera is front-facing. This extra accessory makes the scanning process less stable: tracking can drop more easily, particularly over areas that require more movement around the subject.
Its compatibility being limited to recent Apple devices is also a constraint for multi-user or multi-site deployments, where a mixed fleet of devices (iOS and Android) is common.
What’s the alternative to the TrueDepth camera for a complete professional 3D scanning solution?
Given these limitations, MyFit Solutions relies on mobile photogrammetry for morphological 3D capture at a larger scale. This approach combines multiple photos taken with a smartphone’s rear camera to reconstruct a 3D model, without depending on a specific depth sensor or any accessory.
The appeal for professionals working with custom medical devices: a solution that runs across a wide range of iOS and Android devices, with no accessory and no stability constraints tied to tracking, delivering morphological data usable in clinical workflows (CAD, orthotic device design, patient tracking).
The full details of how this technology works are covered in our article on professional mobile photogrammetry.
FAQ
It offers good resolution at close range, but its limited reach, the need for a mirror accessory for stable use, and its compatibility being restricted to Apple devices make it less suited to medical use at scale.
TrueDepth uses a grid of infrared dots to capture at close range. LiDAR measures distance using time of flight (ToF) and works better for large spaces, with a one-meter minimum distance.
iPhone and iPad models compatible with Face ID, starting with the iPhone X (2017).
Mobile photogrammetry generates usable 3D models without a dedicated sensor or accessory, and is compatible with both iOS and Android.
