You just got a new iPad or Mac and want to show off some cool features. Here’s one to impress friends and family, Center Stage. 

What is it? Here’s a quick summary:

Works with Video Calls. Like FaceTime and other programs that support it, Zoom now does support it for example.

Uses Machine Learning, ML, to add impact to those video calls. As you move around, the device camera tracks to keep you centered in the frame. Let’s say you’re showing a whiteboard with a map on it. Just stand up and move to the whiteboard. The camera will follow you. Pretty cool. If you’re speaking and someone else enters the frame, the camera will pan out and center both of you in the frame. 

What does it work on? 

Not many devices! It takes an ultra wide camera model to support the feature. So newer iPads are about the only thing that works, or using an Apple Cinema Display. Those have the ultra wide built in. It won’t work with your iPhone because the ultra wide camera is on the other side. If a front facing ultra wide iPhone comes out it will likely have the feature down the road. 

Current Compatible Devices:

iPad Pro (12.9-inch, 6th generation and later)

iPad Air (5th generation)

iPad mini (6th generation)

Studio Display

Other companies are following suit and introducing their own versions of subject tracking. Logitech, a maker of devices and cameras rolls out Show Mode as an example. It tracks the user too!

How do I enable the crazy cool new feature? 

It’s built in to your Control Center. So just swipe down from the top right of the screen to open the center. You should see a “Video Effects” button. Tap that and a button appears to turn the feature on or off is there. If not, your system likely doesn’t support Center Stage. 

What are the limitations of the feature.

Well, don’t expect the camera to follow you if you move around the room or expect it to track you if you move out of frame. The camera doesn’t move at all. What it does is use the Ultra Wide frame and only tracks you within this given area. If you move to the edge of the ultra wide frame then you can expect to not be centered in the frame, just the best it can do given what it has. 

We’ll add more to this as it becomes available.