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It looks like Apple might have just made another move to improve image quality on its iPhone camera. Bloomberg reports that according to filings made public in the U.K. on Thursday, Apple has acquired the Cambridge, U.K.-based startup Spectral Edge Ltd..
Spectral Edge has developed a technology that can improve detail and color on digital cameras by taking an infrared picture and merging it with a conventional color photo using machine learning. Apple is already using AI in some of its camera algorithms, for example to improve low light images, so using AI to improve other aspects of image quality would fit nicely into the concept.
The Spectral Edge technology can be applied via software or baked into hardware which would allow Apple to integrate it into a custom image signal processor.
No purchase price has been reported but last year Spectral Edge said it raised more than $ 5 million in funding.
We should not expect the technology to be integrated in the next iPhone generation but in the medium and long term it will be interesting to see if Spectral Edge can help improve smartphone imaging.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)