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Apple Vision Pro owners can get a lot more basketball content to watch with the headset, and the NBA Slam Dunk Contest offers a closer look at the camera used to capture exciting video.
One of the key advantages of Apple Vision Pro is its ability to display stereoscopic content, 3D video, also called immersive video or spatial video. Now it appears that Apple's Vision Pro may be able to get NBA footage for review in the same way.
In a video showing highlights from the first round of the 2024 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, reported by @lujahehe on X, an unusual camera is displayed next to the judges. The camera is not mentioned or used at all during the broadcast and is not particularly highlighted by the camera, but it does appear to be quite noticeable in the frame.
The camera is shaped like a stationary box with two lenses at the front, spaced a few inches apart and level horizontally. another. With this arrangement, it is unlikely that it could be intended for anything other than capturing stereoscopic 3D video.
While the camera doesn't give any real indication that this is an Apple-related device, there have been a number of previous instances where a connection between the NBA and the Apple Vision Pro has been confirmed.
More NBA for AVP
After the presentation of Apple Vision Pro at WWDC In 2023, NBA commissioner Adam Silver confirmed plans to bring basketball to headphones. “We're working closely with Apple,” Silver explained, and reports say the collaboration was meant to help reimagine the gaming experience.
On February 2, the day of the Apple Vision Pro release, Silver and Apple CEO Tim Cook met to discuss the new headset app and the future of home fans, Sportico reports. While much of the conversation focused on how the NBA app could play up to five games on virtual screens, there was also discussion about immersive video.
Silver confirmed that the NBA is exploring the possibility of adding specialized 3D video cameras to its event plans, with All-Star Weekend being the first opportunity.
“It’s better than sitting on the court in a lot of ways,” Silver said. “He can take you anywhere on the court. It can give you a player's perspective. For me, it will be how people view the sport over time.”
However, before full games can be broadcast in this format, several issues must be resolved, including costs and production limitations, as well as the use of special cameras developed by Apple.
“Manufacturing will need to be rethought,” Cook said at the time. “You'll have to redesign everything, but it's worth it.”