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3D spatial video is stereoscopic video: it records a slightly different view for each eye, and your brain combines those views to perceive depth. Apple uses “spatial video” for a specific kind of stereo video that also includes spatial metadata, allowing compatible devices to present it in windowed or immersive modes. It is not the same as a freely navigable 3D scene.
How does 3D spatial video work?
A stereoscopic video supplies two related views: one for the left eye and another, captured from a slightly different perspective, for the right. The difference between the views—called parallax—gives the brain cues to perceive depth. Apple’s WWDC23 Developer session uses “3D video” interchangeably with “stereoscopic” in this sense.
The two views can be stored and delivered in different layouts and formats. A display or headset that supports stereoscopic playback directs the appropriate view to each eye. A regular screen may instead show a flat image or use another presentation method, depending on its software and the file format.
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What makes Apple Spatial Video different?
Apple Spatial Video is stereo video with additional spatial metadata. Apple describes the file as a QuickTime movie containing an MV-HEVC stereo video track and spatial metadata. MV-HEVC is a multiview form of High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC): the track represents the related eye views, and compatible playback maps them to the corresponding eyes. The metadata identifies the content as spatial media and supports Apple’s spatial presentation behavior.
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That metadata can let compatible playback show the same stereo content in a window or in an immersive presentation. It affects how the video is presented; it does not turn the recording into a 3D environment that a viewer can move around freely. Apple’s WWDC24 Developer session describes spatial video at the file level as stereo MV-HEVC video with extra spatial metadata.
How spatial video differs from other formats
| Format or term | What it means | What to keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Stereoscopic or 3D video | Related left- and right-eye views create a perception of depth. | It may use different layouts and file formats; it does not necessarily include Apple spatial metadata. |
| Apple Spatial Video | Stereo media plus spatial metadata for supported Apple playback. | It is a particular stereo-video workflow, not a synonym for every 3D video format. |
| Apple Immersive Video | A separate Apple format for stereoscopic experiences with a large field of view. | Apple describes this format as running at 90 frames per second and exceeding 50 megapixels per eye. Those specifications apply to Apple Immersive Video, not ordinary spatial video. See Apple’s Apple Immersive Video overview. |
| 180° or 360° video | Panoramic video maps a broad field of view onto a viewing surface. | It is distinct from windowed spatial video, even though both may be viewed on a headset. |
| Volumetric or freely navigable capture | A representation designed to support viewing a scene from different positions. | Ordinary stereo spatial video provides two views from a recording viewpoint; it does not, by itself, provide free viewpoint navigation. |
What devices can record and play spatial video?
Apple Support lists Apple Vision Pro and iPhone 15 Pro or later, subject to the stated iOS requirement, as ways to record spatial video. Apple’s WWDC25 material also names iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro and says specific third-party cameras support the format. The supported models and software requirements depend on Apple’s current compatibility guidance, so check Apple’s iPhone support resources and the relevant camera documentation before relying on a particular device.
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Apple presents spatial video as a point-and-shoot approach to stereo capture, intended to be simpler than high-end professional stereoscopic production. On Vision Pro, compatible spatial video can appear in a window or expand into an immersive presentation that scales the image to suggest the real size of objects. Apple also describes 2D fallback on other Apple platforms, but that behavior should not be assumed for every non-Apple player. Compatibility depends on the file, device, operating system, and playback app.
Can you watch spatial video on a regular screen?
Sometimes, but the result depends on the screen, player, and file support. A standard 2D screen cannot deliver a separate image to each eye in the way stereoscopic playback does. Apple documents 2D fallback on other Apple platforms; that is not a guarantee that every spatial-video file will play on any ordinary screen or non-Apple device. Check the player’s format support and expect that stereo depth or spatial presentation may not be available.
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What to check when choosing a spatial-video format
- View format: Is the content a stereo pair, or a panoramic 180°/360° image?
- File support: Does the file’s codec, container, and metadata work with the intended player?
- Capture workflow: Which cameras and software can record and export the format you need?
- Playback compatibility: Which device and app can decode and present the file?
- Presentation: Do you want a flat-screen view, windowed stereo, or a more immersive presentation?
- Production specifications: Compare resolution, frame rate, and field of view for the specific format. Do not apply Apple Immersive Video specifications to ordinary spatial video.
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