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Apple's new iPad Pro models with the M1 chip boast a new video calling feature called "Center Stage," which uses machine learning to automatically pan and zoom the front-facing camera to keep the user in the center of the frame as they move.
Apple envisions Center Stage for video calls that involve things like whiteboarding with colleagues or joining a virtual family reunion. The feature will also likely fix the issue of a user appearing off-center in the shot when the iPad is used in landscape mode. During the announcement, Apple did not explain whether the feature will be exclusive to FaceTime calls. But according to the iOS developer Federico Viticci Third-party apps will be able to leverage Center Stage through an API framework, which could mean we'll one day see the feature in Teams and Zoom calls as well. Apple applying the feature as follows:
iPad Pro 2021 makes virtual family gatherings more inviting
Center Stage leverages the much larger field of view of the new front camera and M1's machine learning capabilities to recognize users and keep them centered in the frame. Whether whiteboarding with colleagues or having a virtual family reunion, the experience of connecting with one another is now more inviting than ever.
Center Stage is enabled on the 11- and 12.9-inch iPad Pro by the new chipset and an improved TrueDepth camera system that includes a 12MP ultra-wide front camera with a 120° field of view, compared to the standard 7MP wide-angle front camera on the previous generation. For this reason, Center Stage is unlikely to be rolled out to older iPads via a software update. The new 11-inch iPad Pro starts at €879, while the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro is available from €1,199. Apple will begin accepting pre-orders on April 30, with deliveries expected to begin in the second half of May. (Image: Apple)
