FaceTime feature in iOS 13 feigns eye contact during video calls

Enlarge / The cameras on iPhones are getting (selectively) smarter. (credit: Samuel Axon)

Apple introduced several of the headlining features of its upcoming iOS 13 during WWDC, but people playing with the closed beta version have uncovered some additional tools. One newly found addition is FaceTime Attention Correction, which adjusts the image during a FaceTime video call to make it look like a person is looking into the camera rather than at their device’s screen.

In practice, that means that while both you and your contact are looking at each other’s faces, you’ll both appear to be making direct eye contact. Mike Rundle and Will Sigmon were the first to tweet about the find, and they describe it as uncanny, “next-century shit.” Another beta tester, Dave Schukin, posited that the feature relies on ARKit to make a map of a person’s face and use that to inform the image adjustments.

Guys – “FaceTime Attention Correction” in iOS 13 beta 3 is wild.

Here are some comparison photos featuring @flyosity: https://t.co/HxHhVONsi1 pic.twitter.com/jKK41L5ucI

— Will Sigmon (@WSig) July 2, 2019

The feature appears to only be rolling out to the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max with the current beta testing. It will get a wider release to the general public when iOS 13 officially goes live, which will likely be sometime this fall.