A new LiDAR scanner for the iPhone 12 has leaked from what looks like an internal design illustration. While this leak may not represent the final phone we will actually get, it is clear that Apple is looking to leverage one of the top features of the new iPad Pro on the iPhone this fall.

Twitter user choco_bit tagged three popular Apple news sites, including AppleInsider, in this image of a quad camera module similar to the one on the back of the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max and posted the following:

The fourth sensor is a LiDAR sensor, designed to accurately measure depth and dramatically improve the performance of AR apps.

Previous rumors, including those from Ming-Chi Kuo, Fast Company, and within the iOS 14 code, all supported the idea that Apple would add a time-of-flight depth sensor to the iPhone 12 Pro model.

On the iPad Pro 2020, the LiDAR scanner measures distances to surrounding objects up to 5 meters away and "operates at photon levels at nanosecond speeds."

The computer vision algorithms in the iPad Pro's A12Z Bionic processor allow for more detailed understanding of the scene, and also significantly reduces the setup time typically required by AR apps.

Presumably, the LiDAR scanner in the iPhone 12 Pro will work with Apple's upcoming A14 Bionic chip.

Apple also states that its LiDAR scanner will "open up more professional workflows and support professional photo and video apps," but it will take time for developers to take advantage of this technology.

Various iPhone 12 renderings show what the final design with the LiDAR scanner will look like, and many of them show the rear camera in a rectangular pattern instead of the current triangular to fit the sensor in a camera bump of approximately the same size and placement.

These designs have become even more plausible since Apple unveiled its latest generation iPad Pro. It would hardly be a surprise if Apple revealed another LiDAR sensor in the iPhone 12. However, since this appears to be a leak rather than a rumor or analyst prediction, this is the best confirmation that Apple may introduce this feature.

However, this leak is not the whole story: while choco_bit has some credibility as a former Apple Certified Service Partner, the image they linked to was not one they found themselves; Twitter user As EverythingApplePro pointed out, the image used in the original tweet was first seen in ConceptsiPhone's Instagram post a week ago, but was not watermarked.

User DongleBookPro, who claims to work at one of Foxconn's Chinese factories where Apple products are manufactured, then weighed in on EverythingApplePro's post, saying that while this design matches some EVT (engineering verification testing) While consistent with the model, there are still two months to go before the design is finalized. This means that this image could be accurate to the current iPhone 12 and the LiDAR sensor will all likely show up on the phone, but the version we will actually get could still look different.

We have also heard rumors of other iPhone 12 camera upgrades, including a larger 64MP main sensor and an extension of Night Mode to the ultra-wide-angle and telephoto cameras.

Apple releases the iPhone every fall, usually around September. However, this year's event may be postponed if the design is not ready in time. Despite the disruption caused by the coronavirus outbreak, one hopes that Apple will be able to unveil the next-generation iPhone on schedule.